Valeri Nichushkin Suspended Six Months Without Pay

Valeri Nichushkin of the Colorado Avalanche has re-entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance following a failed drug test. Nichuskin has scored nine goals in the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and leaves his team down against the Dallas Stars where they look to clinch a spot in the Western Conference finals.

Nichushkin, 29, has been a stellar signing for the Colorado Avalanche since being signed in the 2019-20 season. Drafted 10th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2013, Nichuskin has had his fair share of struggles throughout his tenure in the NHL.

Last year, Nichushkin missed part of Colorado’s playoff run after a 911 was made in Seattle after an intoxicated woman was found in his hotel room. Nichushkin entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program in January 2024.

The 6-foot-4 winger was part of Colorado’s Stanley Cup victory in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hailing from Chelyabinsk, Russia, Nichushkin is in year two of an eight-year deal worth $6.125 annually.