Avalanche ahead Valeri Nichushkin was positioned in Stage 3 of the Participant Help Program of the NHLPA and NHL, which means he’s suspended with out pay for no less than six months, the NHLPA and NHL introduced Monday. After the suspension ends, he can be eligible to use for reinstatement.

Nichushkin, 29, was away from the crew for practically two months in the course of the common season, from mid-January to early March. He additionally missed the ultimate 5 video games of the crew’s opening-round playoff collection towards the Kraken within the opening spherical of the 2023 playoffs attributable to private causes.

The most recent suspension got here hours forward of Colorado’s Sport 4 contest towards the Stars, with Dallas main the collection 2-1. Nichushkin had been on the ice for the crew’s morning skate.

There was no cause given for Nichushkin’s placement in this system — the usual ever because the program started in 1996 — Pierre LeBrun outlined the phases of this system as such:

Nichushkin scored a aim in every of the Avalanche’s first seven video games this postseason, tying the longest streak to open a postseason in NHL historical past, earlier than he went scoreless in Sport 3 towards his former crew. The Stars chosen him tenth within the NHL Draft again in 2013; he joined the Avalanche in 2019.

Nichushkin registered a career-high 53 factors within the common season.