Avs’ star Valeri Nichushkin suspended for at least 6 months an hour before team’s playoff game loss

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche are with out high-scoring ahead Valeri Nichushkin for what’s left of the playoffs — once more.

The 29-year-old Russian was suspended for at the very least six months with out pay and positioned in stage 3 of the league’s participant help program simply hours earlier than the Avalanche misplaced Recreation 4 of their second-round collection with Dallas on Monday night time.

It’s the second time this season he has been in this system. Stage 3 means Nichushkin violated phrases of this system, which gives assist for every part from psychological well being must substance abuse. Nichuskin will miss the remainder of the postseason and the primary month subsequent season at a minimal.

The Nationwide Hockey League and Nationwide Hockey League Gamers’ Affiliation introduced the information about an hour earlier than the beginning of the sport. His teammates heard the information as they arrived on the rink earlier than a lackluster 5-1 loss to the Stars that pushed them to the brink of elimination. They have been outshot by a 16-2 margin within the first interval and path the best-of-seven collection 3-1.

Recreation 5 is Wednesday in Dallas. Nichushkin leads the staff with 9 playoff objectives this season.

Particulars of Nichuskin’s struggles haven’t been disclosed. In a first-round playoff collection final spring in opposition to Seattle, Nichushkin abruptly left the staff and missed the ultimate 5 video games of the postseason.

“Val is clearly fighting one thing,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar stated. ”Yeah, it sucks for our staff. We’ve received to show the web page. We’ve received to go play manner higher than we did at the moment. There’s nonetheless 20-plus guys in that room that care and need to win and which can be right here. That’s what now we have to deal with. It hurts our staff. There’s no query. He’s an ideal participant.”

Bednar wasn’t prepared to journey down the trail when requested if Nichushkin might have let down the staff.

“I’ve gotten to know Val as an individual and I’ve gotten to know him as certainly one of our teammates and I need what’s greatest for him,” Bednar stated. “I need him to be completely happy and I need him to be content material in his life, whether or not that’s with our staff or not with our staff. I need the most effective for him and his household. I believe all of our guys are the identical. We hope that he can discover some peace and get assist.”

Stars coach Pete DeBoer echoed these ideas.

“On the human facet, you’re feeling for any athlete who’s coping with points like that,” DeBoer stated.

Nichushkin was gone for almost two months earlier this season, from Jan. 13 to March 7, to obtain care from the NHLPA/NHL Participant Help Program for points that weren’t disclosed. He was the second Avalanche participant to enter this system throughout the common season, following defenseman Samuel Girard, who stated in November that anxiousness and despair led to alcohol abuse. Girard returned in mid-December.

Final spring, Nichuskin’s absence began after officers responded to a disaster name on the 4 Seasons Lodge in Seattle earlier than Recreation 3. A 28-year-old lady was in an ambulance when officers arrived, and medics have been instructed to talk with an Avalanche staff doctor to assemble extra particulars.

The report, obtained on the time from the Seattle Police Division by The Related Press, stated the Avalanche doctor instructed officers that staff staff discovered the girl after they have been checking on Nichushkin. The doctor instructed 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 in regards to the scenario, saying solely, “I do know you guys need to discover one thing there, but it surely’s nothing actually fascinating. I believe we should always shut it.”

Requested after the sport if he might see a state of affairs the place Nichushkin and the staff might in some unspecified time in the future reunite, Bednar merely responded: “I don’t know.”

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AP Hockey Author Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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This story has been up to date to right misspellings of Nichushkin.