The return of Valeri Nichushkin to the Avalanche is coming quickly
Oct 31, 2024, 2:54 PM
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin is likely going to be back with the team very soon.
And that’s good news for a group that’s already suffered a ton of injuries just 11 games into the 2024-25 season — and still hasn’t played with Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen or Gabriel Landeskog.
Head coach Jared Bednar provided the positive update after practice on Thursday, saying Nichushkin could be back skating with the team in early November. Considering the calendar flips in a matter of hours, that’s coming quickly.
#Avs coach Jared Bednar says he thinks Valeri Nichushkin will be cleared to join the team for practices before his official reinstatement/cleared to play games time comes. Also said he's spoken to him and Val believes he'll be able to play right away after being reinstated.
— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) October 31, 2024
Nichushkin remains in Phase 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program after he was suspended for six months on May 13. That happened mere hours before the Avalanche hosted the Dallas Stars in Game 4 of Round 2 of the Western Conference playoffs. Colorado would go on to lose the series, as Nichushkin left them for a second year in a row in the postseason with off-the-ice issues.
Bednar also added on Thursday that as soon as the league clears Nichushkin, the Avs will look to get him back in the lineup. Hopefully, that’s Nov. 13 against the Los Angeles Kings, which is exactly six months after the suspension began. If not, a game on the 15th against the Washington Capitals looks like a possibility.
Nichushkin is brilliant for Colorado… when he’s on the ice. In 54 regular season games last year, he tallied 28 goals and 25 assists. In eight playoff games he had nine goals, which led them team even though he was suspended for the final three contests. Nichushkin was also a big part of the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup team, registering nine goals and six assists during that run.
The Avs are hoping to have Lehkonen to make his season debut next Tuesday against the Kraken. Jonathan Drouin could return sooner rather than later and Miles Wood will likely miss another week. Yes, Ross Colton is out until the December holidays and there’s still no timeline on Landeskog, but things appear to be heading in the right direction.
And if Nichushkin can focus on hockey and finally put his problems in the past, there’s no doubt the Avalanche can contend for another title.
