Valeri Nichushkin, a forward, was inactive for the Colorado Avalanche’s final three playoff games this season. For the final five games of the 2023 postseason, the identical events took place. Nichushkin quit the squad in the middle of a series both times. Phase 1 of the NHLPA and NHL Player Assistance Program was entered in the first instance, while Phase 3 was entered in the second. Nichushkin is currently undergoing a six-month league suspension.
And going into this offseason, one of the biggest discussion points will be whether or not he plays for the Avalanche again. Gabriel Landeskog, the club captain, and general manager Chris MacFarland discussed his predicament on Thursday at the team’s end-of-season press conference. While acknowledging that their primary worry is that Nichushkin receives the assistance he requires, each man also remarked how upsetting it was to see him miss the most crucial games of the season for the second consecutive year. There’s a lot to process, but let’s start with MacFarland expressing that he can envision Nichushkin playing for the Avalanche once more.
“We need to consider every possibility for it. Val’s need for assistance is currently top priority, according to MacFarland. “If he does, we’ll have to read about it and respond to it after the six months. However, it’s highly likely that he’ll return with the Avalanche. MacFarland stated that Nichushkin’s eight-year, $49 million deal cannot be terminated for any reason. Additionally, Landeskog and MacFarland discussed how they were informed of Nichushkin’s suspension prior to Game 4 versus the Stars. They all acknowledged that the timing couldn’t have been worse.
Landeskog remarked, “Devastating to lose a guy like that going into Game 4.” “I’m sure that it rattled guys a little in that Game 4.” Quite difficult to put aside and simply go play. The Avalanche never truly looked like they had their legs, falling short in Game 4 by a score of 5-1. MacFarland received a call from a number he didn’t want to see, therefore the news disappointed him. He reported feeling sick to his stomach.
According to MacFarland, “that Monday was very disappointing.” Over the season, we have 25, 30, or whatever number of guys. That is a severe blow. I also felt sorry for the bunch. Landeskog stated that we’ll have to wait and see how the next six months play out before deciding whether the Avalanche can advance with Nichushkin on the team.
“I’m not sure. Like Chris mentioned, Val now has some discretion in how he handles this, according to Landeskog. He continued by saying that they would be prepared to meet him and engage in combat “once he comes back.” Many things appear uncertain for the time being. It’s obvious that Nichushkin needs to see his work for the Avalanche to remove himself from the ice, and only then could the process of earning back their trust start.
