[Report] Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin To Return On Friday

[RWJC]

Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin To Return On Friday

November 10th, 2024 at 3:09pm CST Gabriel Foley

 

The Colorado Avalanche are prepared to welcome winger Valeri Nichushkin back to the game lineup in their Friday matchup against the Washington Capitals, head coach Jared Bednar shared with media including Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports.

 

Nichushkin hasn’t played since being placed into Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on May 14th, which included with a six-month suspension from team activity and pay. The Stage 3 placement also required Nichushkin to submit an application to be considered for reinstatement at the end of his suspension. He returned to Denver in early October and rejoined the team’s practices in early November. He’s eligible to return to the lineup on November 13th, though Colorado will seemingly choose to push that return back a couple of days.

 

Nichushkin entered the Player Assistance Program square in the middle of Colorado’s second-round series against the Dallas Stars in last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was playing at an all-time high at the time, with nine goals and 10 points through eight postseason games. Colorado would ultimately relinquish the series to Dallas with a two-overtime loss in Game 6.

 

Nichushkin has been a welcome gift on the ice. He’s carved out a considerable top-six role since joining Colorado via waivers in 2019, proving capable of both routine scoring and great off-puck habits. Those traits have helped Nichushkin routinely rival the 25-goal and 50-point marks in each of the last three seasons, even despite totaling 77 missed games in that span. He’s been even better in the postseason, scoring 15 points in 20 games during Colorado’s run to a 2022 Stanley Cup win, and was one of only five Avalanche to score above a point-per-game pace in last year’s postseason.
 

That production has made it all the more difficult for Colorado to deal with Nichushkin’s routine absences. He’s hit every hole in the road, being forced out by multiple upper-body injuries across 2021, 2022, and 2023; and was sat by the team for the final five games of their 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs for personal reasons. Nichushkin has become a contentious player, but head coach Bednar spoke positively about his return to the lineup, saying: “[His process back has] been great. I think the guys are excited to get him back, and Friday is the day. We’re only two games away.” Nichushkin had 13 points in the final 15 games of the 2023-24 regular season, and will look to quickly pick up from where he left off.
 

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/11/avalanches-valeri-nichushkin-to-return-on-friday.html#ref=home

 

[Hammertime]

Scum.

[Alflives]

Better than Whorefat Wallet. 

[Hammertime]

Forget it.

 

Alf your pettiness is boundless.

Edited November 11 by Hammertime

[Alflives]

5 minutes ago, Hammertime said:

Forget it.

 

Alf your pettiness is boundless.

Of course! Alf is a true Canuck fan, who isn’t 10. Sure little kids will love certain players over their team; they’re kids. But to still like a player who said crap about us Canuck fans and who wanted max dollars (he wasn’t worth) and held our club hostage, who we traded to make us better, is strange IMHAO. F that guy! 

[Bell]

Wonder if Mackinnon and Makar welcome him back with open arms.  He's messed with their seasons on more than one occasion

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, Bell said:

Wonder if Mackinnon and Makar welcome him back with open arms.  He's messed with their seasons on more than one occasion

Mac and Mak want to win. Of course they will welcome back a guy who helps with winning. That’s all players (hockey wise) truly care about, winning. 

[RWJC]

25 minutes ago, Bell said:

Wonder if Mackinnon and Makar welcome him back with open arms.  He's messed with their seasons on more than one occasion

 

22 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Mac and Mak want to win. Of course they will welcome back a guy who helps with winning. That’s all players (hockey wise) truly care about, winning. 

We will see. I’ve read that if he causes another issue the Avs will look to terminate his contract with justification. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if like Alf says they simply welcome him back in because winning alleviates a lot of resentment. If his production falters though or he proves to be any slight bit of a distraction I could see the Avs putting him on the block. 

[Curmudgeon]

Nichuskin should be okay until the first snowfall. I'll see myself out.

[CanuckMan]

9 goals in 10 post season games is insane. Of course they want him back.