Colorado Avalanche ahead Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at the very least six months with out pay and positioned in stage 3 of the league’s participant help program earlier than Recreation 4 on Monday evening of a second-round collection with Dallas.
The Nationwide Hockey League and Nationwide Hockey League Gamers’ Affiliation introduced the information about an hour earlier than the beginning of the sport with the Stars. It’s the second time this season he’s been in this system. Stage 3 means Nichushkin violated the phrases of this system.
The 29-year-old Russian ahead will miss the remainder of the postseason and the primary month subsequent season at a minimal.
He leads the workforce with 9 playoff objectives this season.
Nichushkin was gone for almost two months earlier this season to obtain care from the NHLPA/NHL Participant Help Program for points that weren’t disclosed. This was on the heels of lacking the ultimate 5 video games of a playoff loss final season for what the workforce defined as private causes.
Nichushkin wasn’t obtainable to the workforce from Jan. 13 to March 7 after coming into this system. He grew to become the second Avalanche participant to enter this system throughout the common season, following defenseman Samuel Girard, who stated in November that nervousness and melancholy led to alcohol abuse. Girard returned in mid-December.
In a first-round playoff collection final spring in opposition to Seattle, Nichushkin abruptly left the workforce with solely the reason that it was for private causes. His absence began after officers responded to a disaster name on the 4 Seasons Resort in Seattle earlier than Recreation 3. A 28-year-old girl was in an ambulance when officers arrived, and medics had been advised to talk with an Avalanche workforce doctor to assemble extra particulars.
The report, obtained on the time from the Seattle Police Division by The Related Press, stated the Avalanche doctor advised officers that workforce workers discovered the girl once they had been checking on Nichushkin. The doctor advised officers the girl gave the impression to be closely intoxicated, too intoxicated to have left the resort “in a trip share or cab service,” and requested EMS help.
Earlier than the season, Nichushkin dodged questions concerning the scenario, saying solely, “I do know you guys wish to discover one thing there, however it’s nothing actually attention-grabbing. I feel we should always shut it.”
AP Hockey Author Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.