Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has been handed a suspension lasting a minimum of six months, just an hour prior to Game 4 against the Stars.
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has been suspended without pay for a minimum of six months and has been placed in stage 3 of the league's player assistance program. This decision comes just before Game 4 on Monday night of the second-round series with Dallas.
The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association made the announcement approximately an hour before the puck dropped against the Stars. This marks Nichushkin's second entry into the program this season, with stage 3 indicating a violation of its terms.
As a result, the 29-year-old Russian forward will be sidelined for the remainder of the postseason and at least the first month of the following season.
Nichushkin currently leads the team with nine playoff goals this season.
Earlier this season, Nichushkin was absent for nearly two months while seeking assistance from the NHLPA/NHL Player Assistance Program due to undisclosed issues. This period followed his absence from the final five games of a playoff loss last season, which the team attributed to personal reasons.
From January 13 to March 7, Nichushkin was unavailable to the team while undergoing treatment in the program. He became the second Avalanche player to enter the program during the regular season, following defenseman Samuel Girard, who disclosed in November that anxiety and depression had led to alcohol abuse. Girard returned in mid-December.
During a first-round playoff series last spring against Seattle, Nichushkin unexpectedly left the team without explanation. His departure coincided with officers responding to a crisis call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle before Game 3. Upon arrival, officers found a 28-year-old woman in an ambulance, and Avalanche team physicians informed them that she had been discovered by team personnel while checking on Nichushkin. The woman appeared heavily intoxicated, and medical assistance was requested.
A report from the Seattle Police Department, obtained by The Associated Press at the time, detailed the incident. Nichushkin declined to provide further details about the situation before the season, stating, “I know you guys want to find something there, but it’s nothing really interesting. I think we should close it.”
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