Valeri Nichushkin was cleared Monday to return to practice with the Colorado Avalanche after more than a month away from the team.
Nichushkin last played for the club Jan. 10 at Ball Arena against Vegas. He did not play Jan. 13 in Toronto, and an official announcement that he had entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program came two days later when the team was in Montreal.
He was on the ice Monday for Avs practice at Family Sports Center.
“Obviously he went through what he needed to and we all support him,” Avs defenseman Cale Makar said. “For him to be back, it’s awesome to see him around. Hopefully he can get back in shape and figure it out. He has to take the time that he needs. We all respect him, and he’s a big part for us.”
Before entering the program, Nichushkin was one of the hottest goal scorers in the NHL. After a slow start to the season, which coach Jared Bednar noted coincided with the birth of his first child being delayed, Nichushkin had 21 goals and 35 points in the 29 games before he stepped away from the team.
The Avs are 65-19-9 with Nichushkin in the lineup over the past two regular seasons and 21-24-3 without him. They have performed like a 122-point team over 82 games with him and a 76-point one when he’s missing.
He has been a critical player for the team in all three phases. Colorado was eighth on the power play, eighth on the penalty kill and ninth in expected goals at 5-on-5 after Nichushkin’s last game Jan 10. The Avs are 19th on the power play, tied for 25th on the penalty kill and 20th in expected goals for at 5-on-5 since Jan. 11.
“This year before he went off to the players’ program, he was playing probably his best hockey he’s ever played in the NHL,” Mikko Rantanen said. “He’s in his prime, too. He’s a big value for us for sure.”
This was the second time in nine months that Nichushkin was unavailable to play for personal reasons. Nichushkin left the Avalanche during its first-round playoff series in April before Game 3 in Seattle. The circumstances with that situation were mysterious at the time.
An intoxicated woman was found in Nichushkin’s hotel room that same day, and a team doctor called for an ambulance to take her to the hospital, according to a Seattle police report.
The team never acknowledged the report, nor did the Avs ever say Nichushkin was punished for what transpired. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said during the 2023 Stanley Cup Final that the league was satisfied with how the situation was handled and Nichushkin was not under investigation.
When this season began, the Avs welcomed Nichushkin back “with open arms.”
“He’s a great guy, a great teammate and obviously an awesome player,” Nathan MacKinnon said Monday. “It’s great to have him back around and looking forward to getting him back in the lineup.”
Nichushkin was the second player on the roster to enter the player assistance program this season. Samuel Girard was away from the team for about four weeks, and missed a total of 20 games before rejoining the lineup Dec. 31.
It was 10 days from the time Girard returned to practice before he played again. Bednar said the timeline for Nichushkin is to be determined.
“Our record is pretty glaring when you look at when he’s in our lineup and when he’s not,” Bednar said. “It goes to show how much he means to our team, so hopefully get him back here and in a good headspace, a lot like Girard. He’s come back and been refreshed, re-energized, feels great and has been playing great. Hopefully it can be the same for Val.”
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