Gabriel Landeskog to play in Sweden

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Gabriel Landeskog, last season's Calder Trophy winner as NHL Rookie of the Year, has agreed to join Djurgarden of Sweden's second division, his agent Peter Wallen told ESPN.com on Wednesday.

Djurgarden also announced the deal.

Wallen says Landeskog has agreed to a two-month deal, with the agreement that he could go back to Colorado at any time if and when the NHL lockout ended.

Landeskog, who beat out Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and New Jersey playoff hero Adam Henrique for the Calder, had 22 goals and 30 assists for the Avalanche, who chose him with the second overall pick in the 2011 draft.

The former Ontario Hockey League forward had little trouble adjusting to the NHL grind, playing in all 82 games last season for Colorado.

Landeskog played for Djurgarden before being picked by the Avalanche, and the 19-year-old left winger was named Colorado's captain in September, making him the youngest player ever to lead an NHL team.

The Swede says he will miss the Avalanche fans, describing them as "one of a kind." He says he hopes to return to Denver's Pepsi Center "as soon as possible."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Pierre LeBrun

NHL

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• Covers the NHL for ESPN.com and TSN of Canada
• Six years on the "Hockey Night In Canada" Hotstove panel
• 13 years at The Canadian Press National News Agency