Milestone No. 28: Valeri Nichushkin goes missing in the postseason

The Fan is turning 30! For three decades, the station has been covering Denver sports, serving as a media outlet of record for the biggest events over the past 30 years.

There have been a lot of them. From championships to MVPs, from historic seasons to improbable victories, The Fan has been there for all of them.

What were the best of the best? During a six week span, Denver Sports will chronicle the moments that stood out the most. It’s a countdown from No. 30 to No. 1, in a series called “Mile High Milestones.”

Enjoy the trip down memory lane!

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Winning a Stanley Cup is difficult. Arguably, it’s the toughest team accomplishment in pro sports, a 16-win gauntlet that has to be traversed over a two-month span.

Hoisting the hardware a second time is even more of a challenge. Players get raided by other teams. The celebration leads to a hangover, both literally and figuratively. And the hunger isn’t quite the same once a parade has already run through downtown.

In each of the last two seasons, however, the Avalanche have been poised to follow up their 2022 Cup with another drink out of Lord Stanley’s chalice. They entered the postseason as one of the odds-on favorites each year.

But they didn’t repeat in ’23, losing in the first round to the Kraken. And they failed against last year, falling in the second round to the Stars.

What prevented an immensely talented team from lifting another Cup? How did a roster featuring Hart and Norris winners not at least contend for a title?

While some of the usual suspects certainly played a role in derailing the Avalanche, they weren’t the No. 1 reason. Both years, Colorado was vanquished from within.

In one of the most-bizarre stories in Denver sports history, Val Nichushkin disappeared on his team during the playoffs. And he did it twice.

First, he went missing in action after two games against the Kraken. Police were called to the Avs hotel in Seattle, where an incident involving Nichushkin and a woman was reported. The forward was ushered away from the scene, not to be heard from again that season, as Colorado lost the series in seven games.

Last season, Nichushkin showed his importance to the Avalanche in the playoffs. He notched a hat trick in a Game 4 win over the Jets in the first round, helping Colorado advance in five games. But then, it all came crashing down.

Nichushkin’s season ended three games into the second round, however, as he was issued a six-month suspension for violating the terms of the Player Assistance Program. He was done, and so were the Avs. Colorado lost in six games.

Two seasons with championship aspirations fizzled in a flash. That’s frustrating. What made it infuriating is the fact that the downfall was completely avoidable.

Would the Avalanche have won another Cup (or two) if Nichushkin had been able to steer clear of trouble? No one knows for sure. But they certainly would’ve had a better chance.

In his last 10 playoff games, Val has netted 10 goals. They Avs have won six of those contests. In the eight games he’s missed during that same timeframe, Colorado is just 3-5.

Maddening. Frustrating. Disappointing. Those are the words that sum up the Avalanche’s last two trips to the playoffs. And it’s all because of one player – Valeri Nichushkin.

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THE COUNTDOWN

30: Ubaldo Jimenez has a magical season

29: Todd Helton get enshrined in Cooperstown

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Wanna hear more about this Mile High Milestone? Tune into “The Rundown” at noon or check out the show on YouTube to hear Richie Carni and a special guest take a walk down memory lane.

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