DALLAS -- The Colorado Avalanche activated captain Gabriel Landeskog off injured reserve, paving the way for him to return from his nearly three-year absence as soon as Game 2 of Colorado's first-round series against the Dallas Stars on Monday night.

Landeskog, now 32, has not played in an NHL game since June 26, 2022, when he and the Avalanche beat Tampa Bay to win the Stanley Cup.

A chronic right knee injury that led to two surgeries kept him off the ice through multiple attempts to get back. He did a two-game conditioning stint with the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles earlier this month to take another step forward in the process.

Adding Landeskog is another boost for the Avalanche, who won the series opener 5-1 against the short-handed Stars. Dallas is without top defenseman Miro Heiskanen after his knee surgery and leading goal scorer Jason Robertson, who was injured in the final game of the regular season.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Matthew Tkachuk will skate Tuesday morning. Whether he'll play for the Florida Panthers in their playoff opener on Tuesday night is anyone's guess.

Tkachuk -- who hasn't played for the Panthers since Feb. 8 and hasn't played any games since the 4 Nations Face-Off two months ago because of a lower-body injury -- went through practice on Monday with the reigning Stanley Cup champions, his second on-ice workout in a three-day span.

But the Panthers want to see how he gets through morning skate on Tuesday before deciding whether he plays in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series at Tampa Bay that night.

"He's got to get through the morning skate tomorrow," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said after Monday's practice. "We're still monitoring the recovery off the practice. So, he was out early before we went, went through a whole practice, stayed until the end. We'll see how he feels coming back in tomorrow. And if he feels good and he gets through that morning skate and everybody's thumbs-up, then he'll go."

Tkachuk was injured in the second game of the 4 Nations event, then tried to play in the final against Canada but didn't take any shifts for the third period or overtime of that contest.

The Panthers placed Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve. He missed the team's final 25 games of the regular season, yet still finished with 22 goals, 35 assists and 57 points -- third most on the team in all three categories. He was also second on the Panthers this season with 11 power-play goals.

It sounds like the decision is going to be whether he's ready for Game 1 or Game 2. Maurice noted that two more days -- the game between the series opener and Thursday's second game -- might be useful. It has also likely helped that the series hasn't started yet, when five others already have, and two more are slated to open Monday.

"We're close enough now that you also put yourself in that situation where you'd consider two more days, if you felt you were right there," Maurice said. "We'll just let the doctors and Matthew tell us where he's at and then we'll go from there."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Every NHL franchise would be elated to select one player who could become a franchise defenseman, a franchise forward or a franchise goaltender in a single draft class.

The Dallas Stars found all three in 2017.

Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger have developed into franchise cornerstones, which has played a significant role in the Stars becoming a perennial Stanley Cup challenger.

This is why Stars general manager Jim Nill and his front office staff have typically been averse to trading away from draft picks.

That's also what made Nill's decision at the trade deadline so jarring: The Stars traded a pair of first-round picks, three second-round picks and onetime prized prospect Logan Stankoven for Mikko Rantanen.

While the Stars made a statement by adding another franchise winger, the trade also signaled that the Stars are entering a new frontier -- deviating from the blueprint that allowed them to be a championship contender in the first place.

"It's two things: It's where our team's at, and it's Mikko Rantanen," Nill said. "A lot of times when you go into a trade, it's for an older player that has two or three years left in his career.

"Mikko is in the prime of his career. He's one of the elite power forwards in the game, and with where we're drafting, when do you get a chance to get a player like that? Just because of unique circumstances, he was available."

After trading for Rantanen, the Stars signed him to an eight-year contract extension worth $12 million annually. That commitment further amplifies how the Stars believe Rantanen can help them win the Stanley Cup that has eluded them since 1999.

But how did the proverbial stars align for Dallas to get Rantanen? What made the Stars comfortable moving away from the foundational strategy of draft-and-develop? And after the current playoff run, what does Rantanen's presence mean in the short and long term?

"Of course, [trading for Rantanen] sends a message that they're backing us with the chance that we have to do something special," Stars defenseman Esa Lindell said. "It's a chance to win, and that brings expectations to succeed."

RANTANEN PLAYED FOR the division rival Colorado Avalanche throughout his career, which meant that Nill and others within the Stars' front office had a close view of his ascent to stardom. They thought he was one of the best players in the NHL but never thought it was possible that he could be a Dallas Star.

"You're not even looking in [Rantanen's] direction when you're analyzing your team and trying to make changes," Nill said. "It was never really even an option for us."

Until it did become an option -- and even then, the Stars weren't so sure.

When Rantanen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 24, the Stars' front office still didn't regard him as potentially available to them because the Canes were also in a championship window.

Rantanen scored six points in 13 games for the Hurricanes. But with each week that passed without him signing a contract extension with Carolina, the speculation increased that the Hurricanes could move him again in order to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency in the summer.

"I would say about two weeks before the trade deadline, they started to make some calls just to see what the market was," Nill said. "We were one of the teams they called to see if there was interest, and then with about a week to 10 days before the trade deadline, we said, 'You know what? Let's look at it,' but still not thinking that was the direction we were going to go."

Pragmatism remains the principle that guides Nill.

Even before the Stars could devise a trade package, they needed a number of factors to work in their favor. For instance, if Rantanen had become available last season, there was no way they could have made it work financially because of their cap situation.

This season, injuries to Tyler Seguin and Heiskanen meant the pair's combined $18.3 million cap hit provided wiggle room. That flexibility is how the Stars were able to take on the full freight of Cody Ceci's and Mikael Granlund's contracts in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 1.

Yet the Stars needed more help fitting Rantanen's contract onto their books, which made the first trade with the Avs and Canes even more crucial. Rantanen, who earns $9.25 million annually, had 50% of his salary retained by the Chicago Blackhawks in that first trade, which meant he'd be joining the Stars at a team-friendly $4.625 million prorated for the rest of the season.

"A lot of factors came into play where we're sitting there saying, 'A year ago, we couldn't do that because he makes this much money and we didn't have injuries,'" Nill said. "But now that there was a different scenario? An opportunity was there to make it work, and that's when we got more serious."

The Stars already had a dynamic that worked, with the bulk of their core group being younger than 26. They had a seemingly annual tradition of introducing a homegrown prospect who went from promising talent to NHL contributor. It was proof their farm-to-table model worked, while also ensuring a level of cap certainty.

So what made Nill and the Stars feel like this was the time to upend that approach? Especially with some of those homegrown prospects, such as Thomas Harley and Wyatt Johnston, going from their team-friendly, entry-level deals to being significant earners on their second contracts?

"You're not only looking at this year, but when you're making a major commitment to a player like that trade-wise and asset-wise, you're probably going to want to sign him," Nill said. "That's when we had to sit down and look at what direction we could go with our team here. We got some major players taking some pay hikes that they deserve, and that's when we asked, 'How can we make this fit?'"

CHAMPIONSHIP WINDOWS DON'T last long, and there's always change.

Just ask Robertson. Even though he's only 25 years old, he's an example of how much change the Stars have encountered since their streak of three conference finals in five years started in 2020.

Robertson played three regular-season games the 2019-20 season and was a taxi-squad member who never appeared in the playoffs. But technically, he's one of only seven players on the current roster who played at least one game from that season. It's a group that also includes Jamie Benn, Roope Hintz, Seguin, Heiskanen, Lindell and Harley. Oettinger was also a taxi-squad player but never appeared in any games in the 2020 playoff bubble.

"That next year, we didn't make the playoffs and we kind of made a shift onto new players," Robertson said. "It was my second year, and we were just trying to make the playoffs as a wild-card team. My third year, [head coach] Pete [DeBoer] comes in with a new staff and a lot of new players too. I don't know what our expectations were, but we just wanted to make the playoffs."

Nill said what allowed the Stars to transition from the Benn-Seguin era to where they are now was a farm system that provided key players on team-friendly contracts.

As those players have turned into veteran regulars, the Stars must now get creative with the cap and balance the difficult decisions that lie ahead.

While that's a consideration every perennial title challenger faces at some point, Rantanen's arrival accelerated that timeline for Dallas. Before the trade, the Stars were slated to enter the upcoming offseason with more than $17 million in cap space. It was more than enough to re-sign pending UFAs such as Benn and Matt Duchene, while having the space to add elsewhere in free agency, too.

And that was with Oettinger going from $4 million this season to $8.25 million over the next three years while Johnston, who was a pending restricted free agent, also signed a three-year deal carrying an annual $8.4 million cap hit.

The addition of Rantanen's contract means the Stars will have $5.32 million in cap space, per PuckPedia. That has raised the possibility that Benn, Duchene and Evgenii Dadonov (along with Ceci and Granlund) might not be back, and that the Stars could be limited in free agency.

There's another way to look at the Stars' short- and long-term situation. Benn noted the fact that they are in this position lets players know that the front office believes in them so much that it was worth changing its philosophy to get Rantanen and have him in Dallas for the better part of a decade.

"I think it shows confidence in the group that we have and what we've been doing this year," Benn said. "Our draft picks over the last few years have set us up to succeed. When you make a move like that for a player like Mikko, it gives your group a lot of confidence. Now it's on us as players to take advantage of it."

So what does that mean for Benn, who is in the final year of his contract, knowing the Stars' cap situation ahead of next season?

"I don't see myself playing for anybody else other than this team," said Benn, who has played his entire 16-year career with the Stars. "Hopefully, it'll all get figured out this summer, but I am excited for the future of the Stars."

Real Betis scored three goals in a first-half blitz to beat Girona 3-1 in LaLiga on Monday and keep alive their hopes of European football next season.

The win took sixth-placed Betis to within one point of Villarreal. The top five qualify for the Champions League, while the team in sixth will play in the Europa League.

"We still have our Champions League dreams," Isco, who scored his seventh goal of the season on his 33rd birthday, told broadcaster DAZN. "We know it is difficult, it's not in our hands, but we will fight until the end."

Betis were a constant threat in the air, with all three goals coming from aerial attacks.

Johnny Cardoso headed the opener from a corner after six minutes, an unmarked Antony side-footed home a cross with 39 minutes gone, and Isco nodded in a third just before halftime.

The Brazilian, on loan from Manchester United has now scored five times and assisted on four goals for Betis since joining in January.

Cristhian Stuani grabbed a consolation for the home side with five minutes remaining.

Girona have gone 10 league matches without a win and are 16th, three points above the relegation zone.

Wrexham climbed back into the automatic promotion spots in League 1 with a crucial 2-1 win over Blackpool on Monday. 

The result sees Wrexham move two points clear of third-place Wycombe Wanderers, who suffered a 4-0 loss to Charlton Athletic.

The top two sides gain promotion to the Championship, with champions-elect Birmingham City having already securing one of those spots. 

The Welsh side scored twice in a three-minute burst in the second half, with goals from James McLean and Oliver Rathborne before Rob Apter scored a consolation goal for the hosts in injury time. 

The Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds-owned side could secure their second successive promotion as early as next Saturday, if they beat Charlton and Wycombe drop points at Leyton Orient.

Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has said the club has a "gentleman's agreement" with head coach Xabi Alonso that means he could leave the Bundesliga side to take over at one of the clubs he represented as a player, including Real Madrid and Liverpool, should he wish to do so.

Alonso's future and the possibility that he may succeed Carlo Ancelotti in the summer has been the subject of growing speculation after Real Madrid's exit from the Champions League quarterfinals and below-par showing in LaLiga this season.

"In a few weeks, we'll know if there's a coaching change at our clubs, but the fact is that we're a very professional club and we have to be prepared for anything," Carro told reporters on Monday.

"From the moment we signed Xabi, we knew he was going to be a great coach, and from the moment you sign one, you have to prepare others. His signing wasn't just a one-off. First, we signed him for a year and a half until 2024, and then until 2026.

"By signing him until 2026, we had confidence he'd stay. We can sleep peacefully, have a good breakfast, and be prepared for any eventuality. We have a gentleman's agreement, and if a team he's played for comes along, we can sit down."

Alonso played for Real Sociedad, Eibar (on loan), Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich during his playing career.

The former Madrid midfielder has been head coach of Bayer Leverkusen since October 2022 and has led the perennial underachievers from second bottom of the table to an unbeaten Bundesliga triumph last season. Under his tutelage, Leverkusen have also lifted the DFB-Pokal, DFL-Supercup and finished as runners-up in the Europa League where they lost in the final to Atalanta.

Alonso was also heavily linked with the Liverpool job after Jürgen Klopp's shock resignation in January 2024, but he opted to remain at Leverkusen while the Merseyside club appointed Arne Slot as manager.

In Alonso's third season in charge, Leverkusen trail league leaders Bayern by eight points with four matches remaining. They were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern at the round-of-16 stage.

Carro said he is keen for Leverkusen to see out the remainder of his Leverkusen contract and that the club would like him to extend the deal which is set to run until the end of next season.

"We've been working together for almost three years, and we're aware that in football, changes can occur at a club that affect others," Carro added. "We're not naive, but the truth is that the coach is important, and that's why we're preparing next season's team with him.

"He's fully involved and integrated into the preparations. If, in the end, there's interest from another club and he's interested, we have a relationship that would have to be discussed. It's not our wish, but we're clear that the decision has to be made within three or four weeks; we can't wait until the end of the season.

"I would like Real Madrid to win everything so there wouldn't be these discussions."

Carro said Alonso's willingness to continue as Leverkusen boss will be central to the discussions over his future.

"Last year, during the international break, he assured us that he would stay, despite having offers. This year we've given ourselves some time to make a decision. We're very calm, and there's not much more to say.

"There's an excellent relationship, and if there's something to talk about, we'll talk. Xabi's willingness is important; he respects us, and we respect him."

Leeds United and Burnley have been promoted to the Premier League after Scott Parker's side beat third-placed Sheffield United on Monday.

Leeds moved on to 94 points via a 6-0 win over Stoke City on Monday afternoon, before Burnley's 2-1 victory at Turf Moor put them on 94 as well and ensured Sheffield United could no longer better their rivals' tally.

"I'm speechless. All that hard work this season," said Burnley captain Josh Brownhill, who scored both of his team's goals on Monday. "We've been written off so many times, people calling us boring. We've bored our way to the Premier League.

"It takes a whole team. It's not just a back four, a goal keeper, it takes everybody. I don't think a lot of the lads will sleep. I'm so buzzing for the lads that haven't played Premier League football."

The victories ensure another two U.S.-owned clubs will enjoy the estimated revenue uplift of around $180 million that comes with a place in England's top tier.

Leeds is owned by the San Francisco-based 49ers Enterprises group, members of whom include American golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. Red Bull, the energy drink company whose other soccer interests include owning Leipzig in Germany, bought a minority stake in the club last May.

Burnley, meanwhile, has been majority-owned since 2020 by the ALK Capita investment group. The New York group is fronted by U.S. businessman Alan Pace and counts former NFL star J.J. Watts as a notable shareholder.

After clinching promotion, Watt posted on social media: "WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE!!!!!!!! Come On Burnley!!!!!"

With two games remaining, the Championship title will be decided between Leeds, who host Bristol City and finish the season away to Plymouth Argyle, and Burnley, whose remaining games include a road trip to Queens Park Rangers and a home match with Milwall.

Sheffield United are assured of a spot in the Championship playoffs along with Sunderland and two other sides for the remaining spot in the Premier League.

The race for the automatic promotion spots has been typically competitive this season, but a run of three straight defeats for Sheffield United in the first half of April spelled the end of their challenge.

Burnley have leaned on their miserly defence to secure a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking after they were relegated, along with Sheffield United, last season. Leeds dropped to the second tier in 2022-23 and lost the Championship playoff final at Wembley to Southampton in May 2024.

Scott Parker's Burnley conceded only 15 goals in 44 games and he has now achieved promotion to the Premier League with three clubs having also taken Fulham and Bournemouth up.

"This one feels more special. I've had some bumps in the road as a manager. I decided to take a year out and come in to this knowing there was a big challenge ahead. I'm relieved and happy," Parker said.

Joel Piroe scored a hat trick in the opening 20 minutes for Leeds at a raucous Elland Road and added another before halftime as the hosts stormed 5-0 ahead by the interval.

"Very proud. A lot of positives. The celebrations are amazing. We've worked all year for this," Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu said. "Not to put a dampener on it, we've still got another target we want to achieve, so we're going to enjoy tonight and then we're going to try and do the full thing."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.