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Valeri Nichushkin

Avalanche Activate Valeri Nichushkin From Injured Reserve

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Feb. 26: Colorado has confirmed yesterday’s news, announcing they’ve activated Nichushkin from the injured reserve. Bednar confirmed after today’s morning skate that Nichushkin would be in the lineup tonight.

Feb. 25: The Avalanche are tracking to activate Valeri Nichushkin from injured reserve before tomorrow’s game against the Devils. Head coach Jared Bednar told Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports that the winger will be an “option” for the contest after missing nearly two months with a lower-body injury. They have an open roster spot and won’t need to make a corresponding transaction.

Nichushkin is coming off his second lengthy absence of the season, although only this one was injury-related. He missed the first 17 games of the campaign while serving the tail end of his automatic six-month suspension for entering Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program during the 2024 postseason.

The soon-to-be 30-year-old Russian remained a top-line threat in his short stint in the lineup between suspension and injury. He made 21 appearances, lighting the lamp 11 times while adding six assists for 17 points while averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. He wasn’t as physically involved as usual, averaging under a hit per game, but that’s to be expected for a player getting off to a late start.

An injury against the Jets on New Year’s Eve sidelined that momentum. He was initially ruled day-to-day but sustained multiple setbacks in his recovery, delaying his return to the lineup until after the 4 Nations break. His return couldn’t come at a better time for the Avs, who are now trapped in a wild-card spot after a 9-9-2 run in their last 20. They still have an 87.9% of making the postseason but have just a 27.5% chance of claiming a divisional berth in the Central, per MoneyPuck. They have a 44.8% chance of remaining in their current standing as the first wild card at season’s end.

Nichushkin adds another dynamic offensive weapon for Nathan MacKinnon’s wing. Martin Nečas has been good since being acquired from the Hurricanes in the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster, but with nine points in 10 games, he hasn’t been as explosive as the latter was for the Avs. They’ve gotten admirable performances from depth pieces like Jonathan Drouin (23 points in 26 games), but injuries have been a major concern for him too. In fact, save for captain Gabriel Landeskog, tomorrow’s contest will be Colorado’s first with a fully healthy forward group this season.

Nichushkin has scored at a 36-goal, 75-point pace per 82 games since signing his eight-year, $49MM extension in Colorado following their Stanley Cup win in 2022. He’s only played in 128 of 223 possible regular-season games during that time, though – just 57.4% of the Avs’ schedule. Ankle surgery was the culprit in 2022-23, while multiple stints in the PAP were to blame for his lack of availability last season.

Central Notes: Vejmelka, Kaprizov, Manson, Nichushkin

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Earlier today, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the Utah Hockey Club is engaged in extension negotiations with netminder Karel Vejmelka. Although no deal is imminent, Dreger adds that Vejmelka could become an interesting trade piece at the deadline should he and Utah not agree on a palatable salary for both sides.

It’s a good season for Vejmelka to find comparable situations. Kevin Lankinen, Logan Thompson, and Mackenzie Blackwood have signed extensions with their respective teams this year giving Vejmelka plenty of ammunition to work with. He’s arguably had the best season of his career this year with a 13-15-4 record in 31 starts with a .909 save percentage and a 2.57 goals-against average.

Unfortunately, unless there’s a major injury between now and the deadline, there isn’t much desire for goaltending in the trade market. Most if not all contending teams have a formidable situation between the pipes, with the Philadelphia Flyers likely being the only hypothetical option as a rental. Even then, the Flyers don’t seem to have much appetite for buying regardless of their position in the standings. Unless a non-playoff team is looking for a goaltender and Vejmelka is open to separate extension negotiations, all signs indicate he’ll remain with Utah beyond the trade deadline.

Other Central notes:

  • Exiting the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Minnesota Wild were expecting the return of star forward Kirill Kaprizov shortly after. However, it appears the Wild are still a ways away from the return of their highest-scoring forward. In an interview on KFAN 100.3, general manager Bill Guerin said, “I think he’s going to be out longer than we originally expected. How much, I cannot answer.” Kaprizov had surgery in late January to repair a lower-body injury and was given a four-week minimum recovery timeline.
  • Neither forward Valeri Nichushkin nor defenseman Josh Manson are expected to join the Colorado Avalanche on their upcoming road trip. In an interview with Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette, head coach Jared Bednar said, “He’s not coming on the (road) trip. Him and (Josh Manson) will both be here getting some work done.” The news is expected for Manson as he’s been dealing with a lower-body injury for much of the regular season. However, the news can’t be seen as anything other than disappointing for Nichushkin who hasn’t suited up since New Year’s Eve despite practicing multiple times.

Avalanche Activate Oliver Kylington, Place Valeri Nichushkin On IR

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The Colorado Avalanche have activated defenseman Oliver Kylington off of injured reserve. He’s missed the last two months and 31 games due to an upper-body injury suffered in the team’s November 27th win over the Vegas Golden Knights. In a corresponding move, Colorado has also placed winger Valeri Nichushkin on injured reserve retroactive to his last game on December 31st. Nichushkin is working through a lower-body injury and suffered a setback in his recovery in mid-January. He isn’t expected to return until after the upcoming break for the 4-Nations Face-Off.

The lineup implications of these moves are hard to gauge. Kylington has played in just eight games this season. He was a routine healthy scratch prior to injury and has only managed two points, four penalty minutes, and a minus-two in his appearances. Calvin de Haan has planted his feet as Colorado’s extra defender in Kylington’s absence, which could leave the latter exposed to waivers when Nichushkin works his way back to full health. The winger has contributed far more to the lineup this year, immediately returning to productivity in both ends after missing the first month of the season. Nichushkin has 17 points in 25 games this season, a mark that still ranks ninth on the Avalanche in scoring even though he hasn’t played in over a month. He’s scored 73 points over his last 82 regular season games collectively, but that span dates all the way back to April, 2023. Nichushkin’s last fluctuated on the same wave – with spans of high-impact play being marred by extended absences to injury or personal leave. His return after the 4-Nations Face-Off will be an exciting chance to break that spell, and help support a playoff push for an Avalanche roster now sans Mikko Rantanen.

Snapshots: Evans, Ersson, Nichushkin, Utah, Chara

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The Canadiens were believed to have been offered a mid-second-round pick back at the draft for center Jake Evans, reports Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.  He adds that the Capitals may have been the team making the offer.  Evans is in the middle of what is likely to be a career year as he has 11 goals and 14 assists in 50 games while being the league leader for shorthanded ice time by a forward.  A pending unrestricted free agent, Evans has a very affordable $1.7MM cap charge this season and could plausibly double that on the open market this summer.  Montreal will have to decide if it’s worth accepting what’s likely to be a similar offer by the March 7th trade deadline or trying to sign him to a contract extension in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • The Flyers announced that goaltender Samuel Ersson has officially been added to Sweden’s entry for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. He’ll take the place of injured netminder Jacob Markstrom.  Ersson has a 2.77 GAA and a .893 SV% in 27 appearances this season while picking up 15 of Philadelphia’s 23 wins.  As things stand, he’s likely to serve as Sweden’s third-string option for the tournament.
  • It appears that Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin will be out until after the 4 Nations Face-Off, relays Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette (Twitter link). The 29-year-old has yet to play in 2025 due to a lower-body injury.  It looked like he was close to returning earlier this month but ultimately suffered a setback, changing his designation to week-to-week.  When available, Nichushkin has done well, tallying 11 goals and six assists in 21 games but Colorado won’t have him in the lineup for a while yet.
  • The Utah Hockey Club announced that they are no longer pursuing some of their preferred team names following the trademark issues that were revealed last week. The team will now run another voting campaign with only three names on the ballot – their current moniker, Mammoth, and Wasatch.  This round of voting will occur in-arena during Utah’s next four home games, beginning with tonight’s.
  • Bruins GM Don Sweeney confirmed to Kevin Paul Dupont of The Boston Globe that they are in discussions about bringing back long-time blueliner Zdeno Chara in an advisory role. Chara spent 14 years with Boston, playing over 1,000 games with the franchise while winning the Norris Trophy back in 2009.  Sweeney added that the role, the specifics of which are still being discussed, would likely have him working with both the players and the coaching staff.

Avs’ Valeri Nichushkin Downgraded To Week-To-Week

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Avalanche star winger Valeri Nichushkin is now considered week-to-week after sustaining a second setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury, head coach Jared Bednar said on Altitude Sports Radio on Wednesday (via Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette).

Nichushkin last played on Dec. 31 against the Jets, leaving the game midway through the second period. Bednar said later that week he expected Nichushkin to miss seven to 10 days.

He then told reporters early last week that Nichushkin wouldn’t make it back within that window and still had a ways to go in his recovery after sustaining a setback, but he reversed course a few days ago. The 29-year-old practiced over the weekend but hasn’t been on the ice since, leading to today’s update.

Colorado has only had Nichushkin available for 21 of their 48 games. He missed the first 17 games of the campaign while serving the end of his automatic six-month suspension levied by the NHL when he was placed in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program during the Avs’ second-round loss to the Stars.

When available this season, Nichushkin has remained an extremely effective top-six piece. His 11 goals and six assists for 17 points through 21 games equate to 0.81 points per game, down from last season’s career-high 0.98 but still fifth on the team.

The Avalanche have a 14-7-0 record with Nichushkin in the lineup in 2024-25 compared to a 14-12-1 mark without. Nonetheless, his reputation as one of the league’s premier two-way wingers hasn’t held up in his small play sample. His 51.2 CF% at even strength is right in line with the team’s average, so while he’s stayed above water, he hasn’t had an overtly positive impact on the team’s puck possession.

Nichushkin, signed through 2030 at a $6.125MM cap hit, remains on the active roster. However, he can be retroactively placed on injured reserve anytime to open a roster spot if necessary.

While Colorado’s forward corps is healthier than it’s been for a good chunk of the season, they’re still without bottom-six energy winger Miles Wood, who hasn’t played since late November because of an upper-body injury. Captain Gabriel Landeskog remains sidelined due to the multiple right knee surgeries that have kept him from playing since the team’s 2022 Stanley Cup win but has become a more frequent participant in morning skates in recent days.

West Notes: Nichushkin, Arvidsson, Gourde

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The Avalanche could have a key winger back in the near future as head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette (Twitter link) that Valeri Nichushkin is getting close to returning.  He has been out since suffering a lower-body injury at the end of December.  He also missed the first month of the campaign while being in the Player Assistance Program but when he has been in the lineup, Nichushkin has been quite productive.  He has 11 goals and six assists through 21 games so far this season, good for eighth in team scoring despite missing more than half of their games.

Elsewhere out West:

  • Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson left yesterday’s game against Colorado late in the third after blocking a shot. However, Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that the undisclosed injury isn’t believed to be too serious.  That’s certainly good news for Edmonton as the 31-year-old has been a solid performer for them when healthy.  While he missed 15 games earlier in the campaign with an undisclosed injury, Arvidsson has picked up 15 points in 30 games thus far, giving them some much-needed secondary scoring.
  • Given the number of teams believed to be looking for center help, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli believes that the Kraken could be able to receive a first-round pick for pending UFA middleman Yanni Gourde. It has been a fairly quiet year for the 33-year-old who has six goals and ten assists in 35 games thus far.  However, as someone who can kill penalties, play an important defensive role, play the wing if needed, and has a track record of some playoff success, Gourde is sure to receive significant interest.  However, Seattle will almost certainly have to pay down the contract, one that carries a $5.167MM price tag that few contenders can afford.

Valeri Nichushkin Suffers Setback, Landeskog Not Dealing With Swelling

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Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin’s timeline to return might be getting pushed back as he was forced to slow down his progress after skating a couple of times (as per Corey Masisak of The Denver Post). The 29-year-old has already missed six games with a lower-body injury and seems likely to be placed on the injured reserve in the not-too-distant future. Nichushkin reportedly has quite a way to go before he can get back in the lineup which is bad news for an Avalanche team that has dealt with a litany of injury issues this season.

The former 10th overall pick has been effective when available this season, posting 11 goals and six assists in 21 games while averaging 19:38 of ice time per game. However, his game has shown signs of rust, particularly when it comes to protecting the puck. Nichushkin has turned the puck over at an alarming rate this year, something that was uncharacteristic in previous seasons.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar denied a previous report on Gabriel Landeskog that said the injured forward couldn’t skate on back-to-back days due to swelling (as per Aarif Dean of Colorado Hockey Now). Bednar was asked by the media if there was any truth to previous reports of the swelling and answered with a simple “no.” He didn’t give any additional details about the 32-year-old’s recovery as he tries to get back into game action for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in June 2022.

Injury Updates: Wild, Nichushkin, Lindholm, Jost

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The lower-body injury that Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon sustained on Tuesday isn’t as bad as initially feared.  However, it’s still expected to keep him out of the lineup for the next two to three weeks, reports Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.  The 35-year-old has logged at least 20 minutes a night on the back end in every year but his rookie season back in 2010-11.  Spurgeon has 13 points and 52 blocked shots in 32 games so far this season.

Meanwhile, Minnesota might be getting a different key blueliner back soon.  Whyno adds that defenseman Jake Middleton could return as soon as next week from the hand injury that has kept him out for the last three weeks, landing him on LTIR.  Middleton had 13 points in 29 games before the injury while his 76 blocks still lead the Wild.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury, mentions Corey Masisak of The Denver Post. However, head coach Jared Bednar added that the 29-year-old could miss seven to ten days with the issue.  Nichushkin has been quite productive since returning from a stint in the Player Assistance Program, notching 11 goals and six assists in just 21 games, putting him in a tie for fourth in team goals despite missing 17 games.
  • Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm is making some strides as he works his way back from a lower-body injury but hasn’t been cleared to skate yet, notes Boston.com’s Conor Ryan. The veteran has missed the better part of the last two months with the injury, a big blow to a Boston back end that has had some uncharacteristic struggles so far.  Prior to the injury, Lindholm had seven points in 17 games while logging nearly 21 minutes a night, a per-game rate that stands second on the team.
  • The undisclosed injury that Hurricanes forward Tyson Jost sustained on Tuesday is expected to keep him out long-term, relays team reporter Walt Ruff (Twitter link). The 26-year-old cleared waivers earlier this season but played in 16 games with Carolina since being recalled in November.  Jost has a pair of goals in those outings while averaging 10:28 per game but he won’t be adding to that point total for a while yet now.

Avalanche Reassign T.J. Tynan, Nikita Prishchepov

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The Avalanche returned forwards T.J. Tynan and Nikita Prishchepov to AHL Colorado on Thursday, according to a team announcement.

Tynan and Prishchepov have been subject to numerous paper transactions since the beginning of the month, often being sent to the AHL without actually reporting to the minors purely to maintain maximum roster flexibility and, in Tynan’s case, delay his temporary waiver exemption. However, with Valeri Nichushkin set to make his season debut on Friday against the Capitals after serving his six-month suspension and Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wood potentially returning from their respective injuries, Tynan’s and Prishchepov’s demotions may be more permanent.

Tynan, 32, cleared waivers without incident to begin the season. He posted four assists in six AHL games before getting his first recall of the season on Oct. 30.

The 5’8″, 160-lb pivot made seven appearances for the Avs over three different recalls, posting an assist and four shots on goal while averaging 7:47 per game. Tynan, who has led the AHL in assists for three seasons in a row and was named the league’s MVP in 2020-21 and 2021-22, is on one of the richest two-way deals in the league with a $535K guarantee and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. He re-joined the Colorado organization this summer after spending the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons there.

Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Prishchepov returns to the minors for much-needed development time. Selected in the seventh round of the 2024 draft less than six months ago, Prishchepov became the first player selected in the final round since 2020 to make his NHL debut.

The Russian center played in each of the Avalanche’s last six games. Like Tynan, he was used sparingly and averaged only 7:18 of ice time per game. Head coach Jared Bednar deployed him exclusively on the wing, where he failed to record his first NHL point but managed four shots on goal, one block and nine hits.

Prishchepov, who stands at 6’1″ and 194 lbs, now returns to the AHL, where he had one goal and three assists through his first six professional games. Last season, he posted 67 points in 63 games for the QMJHL’s Victoriaville Tigres in his third and final season of major junior hockey.

The Avalanche now have three open roster spots. That’s enough space to activate Drouin, Nichushkin and Wood from their respective non-roster designations before tomorrow’s game. Clearing Tynan’s and Prishchepov’s combined $1.582MM cap hit also gives them enough space in their LTIR pool to activate Nichushkin.

Central Notes: Colorado Injury Updates, Blackwood, Stankoven, Joseph

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The Colorado Avalanche continue to inch closer toward a healthy roster. Play-by-play announced Conor McGahey reported earlier that Valeri Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog were present on the ice during the team’s morning skate while Miles Wood and Jonathan Drouin skated in non-contact jerseys.

The jury is still out on whether Landeskog can return this season but the expectation is that Nichushkin, Wood, and Drouin will return to the lineup over the coming weeks. This would leave Landeskog and Ross Colton as the only formidable top-six talents left on the injured reserve making the deepest rendition of Colorado’s lineup up to this point in the 2024-25 campaign.

Colorado has stayed afloat in the Western Conference thanks to the team’s usual suspects. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar are all well over a point-per-game production this season, and the Avalanche could start to generate rapid success should the team get closer to fully healthy.

Other Central notes:

  • Staying in Colorado — one of the most disappointing factors for the team this season has been its goaltending. Avalanche netminders have combined for a .868 SV% over 15 contests leading many pundits to believe Colorado will trade for a goaltender. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman spoke about the issue in his latest episode of ’32 Thoughts’ and reiterated that the Avalanche have circled back on San Jose Sharks’ netminder Mackenzie Blackwood. Colorado’s interest in Blackwood, which reportedly spanned back to last season, could have been reignited by the netminder’s recent 44-save shutout against his former team last night.
  • Senior draft writer of the NHL, Mike G. Morreale, recently surveyed the top rookies in the NHL’s Central Division and it’s no surprise that Logan Stankoven of the Dallas Stars is leading the pack. Stankoven currently leads the 2024-25 rookie class with two goals and 12 points in 13 games while averaging top-six minutes. Morreale quoted Stars head coach Peter DeBoer saying, “Anybody you put him with, he complements. Good players want to play with a guy like that because he’s competitive, he’s on pucks, he recovers pucks, he can make a play.”
  • Expect forward Mathieu Joseph to be in the lineup tomorrow night for the St. Louis Blues after missing the team’s last six games (X Link). Joseph, who had been nursing a lower-body injury, hasn’t played since October 26th. In his first year with the Blues organization, Joseph has collected two goals and four points in nine contests while averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time per night.

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