Valeri Nichushkin Must Return to Form for Colorado Avalanche to Fulfill Cup Dreams – Hockey Writers – Colorado Avalanche

After a season in which Colorado Avalanche players broke many individual records, much attention was paid to players who were absent even for the majority of the campaign. All eyes in Denver are on Gabriel Landeskog's return to form after missing the past two seasons due to knee surgery. However, the long-time captain isn't the only influential Avalanche player who will be missing from the opening night lineup.

Valeri Nichushkin is in the middle of a suspension that will last at least six months – meaning the first will be back in November. Since Landeskog is so important to the Avalanche's offense and chemistry, Nichushkin's absence could leave a very big hole to fill. The suspension comes on the heels of Nichushkin violating the terms of the league's player assistance program, while the 29-year-old Russian's priority is to resolve the personal issues that have plagued him over the past few seasons. If the Avalanche want to get back into legitimate Stanley Cup contention, they're going to need their tank of a player on the wing to get there.

Nichuskin Saga Hopefully It's Coming To An End

There are still a few months before the puck drops on the 2024-25 season, but these months could be the most important of Nichushkin's hockey career. There is no questioning his ability, as he has scored 20 or more goals in two of the last three seasons. He got 28 in 2023-24, despite missing 28 games for various reasons. He scored at least one goal in the first seven playoff games last season. Apparently, Nichuskin has no problem playing on the ice – but it's the problems away from the rink that have been bothering him.

He's been a stranger to off-ice news over the past few seasons, and like all problems, it came at a rotten time. The most notable was when Nichushkin had to be sent home before Game 3 of the team's first-round series against the Seattle Kraken two seasons ago. An intoxicated girl in her room led the team to call 911, and Nichushkin was sent home to move on. The team has long said it was due to personal reasons, but Nichushkin told a different story on a Russian podcast.

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He had to leave the team early during the playoffs last season, due to a failed drug test that put him in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program. That's where the six-month suspension came from. Up until that point, he had scored nine of the team's 33 postseason goals. Colorado won just one game in the playoffs after leaving. The depth of the six-month suspension shows how deep Nichushkin's conflicts were. It will be interesting to see when he returns, as the initial suspension could be lifted in November. The sooner he returns, the better for the Avalanche – but the sooner he returns, the more likely he'll put his problems in the rearview mirror.

Nichushkin Makes Avs A Different Team

The revival of Nichushkin's work is well documented. After scoring 36 goals in five scattered seasons with the Dallas Stars (and a two-year hiatus from the Kontinental Hockey League), the Avalanche took a flyer on him. He was in Colorado for five seasons, with the last three scoring a total of 152 points. That comes despite never having played more than 62 games in a single campaign. His availability has long been an issue, but that was due to a nagging injury that caused him to miss a few games here or there.

Along with the scoring that Nichushkin brings, the Avalanche are much, much better when they're on the ice. Over the past three seasons, Colorado has a glorious 118-35-16 record with Nichushkin on the roster. On the other hand, they are 39-33-5 when he doesn't play. That's a huge difference with only one player out, proving his availability is his biggest asset. Despite missing 77 games over the past three seasons, only Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen have scored more goals for the team in that span.

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Most notably, Nichushkin is a game changer in the playoffs. Over the past three seasons, he has scored 19 goals and 26 points in 30 playoff games. However, 20 of those games came in the 2021-22 season where he scored nine goals in helping Colorado lift its third Stanley Cup. Even with his problems in the last two seasons, he still scored 10 goals in 10 games. The Avs have scored a total of 22 goals in the nine playoff games they have missed over the past two postseasons, but have failed to score at least three goals in six of those contests.

Nichushkin's Long, Strange Career Continues

Everything about Nichushkin's NHL career was extraordinary. From Dallas dropping him, to his two years in the KHL, to his return to the NHL and becoming an offensive force – everything was out of the norm. His life on the ice obviously has its ups and downs. Despite the frustration of his teammates and coaching staff that he has had with him missing a stretch of the past two seasons, the team has never wavered in his support. General manager Chris MacFarland said immediately they will keep him during his suspension. That's a big difference for a team struggling to get into the lower salary bracket, as Nichushkin pulls in $6.124 million per season.

The Avalanche don't have to pay Nichushkin during the suspension, but it still counts against the salary cap when he returns. The team knows his value, and wants to see him improve. Obviously, there is a lot going on with Nichushkin, and dealing with personal matters is clearly a priority. It would have been easy for the organization to make a business decision and cut him loose, but he is a proven asset when he plays. Now he has to put in the work to make sure he can get back on the ice.

Without Nichushkin, the Avalanche's chances of lifting the Stanley Cup became very remote. They don't really need him back when the season starts, but those first few games help get a good footing when the calendar turns to January and things get better. From a personal perspective, everyone is fighting for Nichushkin to get the help he deserves. From a hockey perspective, the most important thing is for him to be available in the playoffs. They are simply the best team with him on the ice, and winning another Stanley Cup after overcoming his personal challenges would be a great next chapter in Nichushkin's NHL story.