Valeri Nichushkin suspended 6 months, re-enters NHL Player Assistance Program

Valeri Nichushkin is completed for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Colorado Avalanche ahead has been positioned in Stage 3 of the Participant Help Program, the NHLPA and NHL introduced Monday. Beneath the phrases of the joint program, Nichushkin will probably be suspended with out pay for at least six months after which will probably be eligible to use for reinstatement.

The information got here roughly an hour earlier than the Avs have been set to play the Dallas Stars on Monday evening at Ball Enviornment in Sport 4 of their second-round Stanley Cup Playoff sequence. Dallas leads the best-of-seven sequence 2-1.

It was not revealed by the league or gamers affiliation what led to Nichushkin being admitted to this system.

Nichushkin frolicked within the participant help program earlier this season. He additionally missed the ultimate 5 video games of Colorado’s 2023 playoff sequence towards the Seattle Kraken after leaving the group for what the membership termed “private causes.” A Seattle police report later revealed that an intoxicated lady was present in Nichushkin’s lodge room the morning earlier than Sport 3 of that sequence in Seattle.

Coming into Stage 3 of this system means Nichushkin violated his Stage 2 remedy plan, which stems from his absence earlier this season. He was suspended with out pay in the course of the lively portion of his remedy.

Stage 1 includes a previous in-patient remedy, which carries no penalty. If Nichushkin is reinstated someday on Nov. 13 or later and violates his Stage 3 remedy plan, Stage 4 carries a one-year suspension and reinstatement to the league isn’t assured.

Nichushkin has six extra years left on his contract. It runs by means of the 2029-30 season and carries a cap hit of $6.125 million per season. His contract won’t rely towards the Avalanche’s wage cap at the beginning of subsequent season whereas he’s suspended, a number of sources confirmed.

Regardless of lacking almost two months, this was Nichushkin’s finest offensive season of his profession. He completed with profession highs in objectives (28) and factors (53) regardless of taking part in in solely 54 video games.

Nichushkin has additionally been one of many hottest aim scorers within the league to start out the playoffs. He’s tied for the league lead with 9 objectives in eight video games, having scored at the least as soon as in every of Colorado’s 5 video games towards Winnipeg and the primary two of the Avs’ sequence towards Dallas.

Nichushkin participated in an non-compulsory apply Sunday and a fully-attended morning skate Monday at Ball Enviornment. He granted just one transient interview in English after getting back from the participant help program in March, and didn’t reply any questions on that have.

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