Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has been suspended by the NHL for a whopping six months — and the league did it just before the Avs' Game 4 of the second-round playoff series vs. the Dallas Stars.
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That's what's known as a body blow.
This time, he's been suspended for failing a drug test. But yes, and this is the second time this season Nichushkin has been suspended. This one is worse. It comes at a terrible time. He will also miss the beginning of next season, as he continues to serve the suspension.
Nichushkin, 29, was also placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program. He leads the Avs with nine playoff goals this season, so yeah, he's hurting more than just himself.
Per the Daily Mail:
"Last spring, police responded to a 911 call from the Four Seasons Hotel, where a woman was found heavily intoxicated and placed in an ambulance before Game 3 vs. the Kraken. He missed the final five games of that series for 'personal reasons.'
"... According to a police report for the incident last spring, the Avalanche team physician told officers that team employees found the intoxicated woman when they were checking on Nichushkin.
"The NHL and NHLPA announced Nichushkin's suspension about an hour before the start of Colorado's game vs. the Stars on Monday night, which the Avs lost 5-1."
So yeah, this is bad news for Nichushkin, for the Avalanche and for the NHL, quite frankly. You always want your players to stay out of trouble, especially when that trouble costs your leading goal-scorer playoff games and more time during the season.
