The Avalanche announced today that they’ve summoned forwards Ivan Ivan, Nikolai Kovalenko and Nikita Prishchepov back up from AHL Colorado after papering them down yesterday. They only had two open spots on the active roster after activating Artturi Lehkonen from injured reserve, so winger Miles Wood was placed on IR retroactive to Oct. 28 in a corresponding transaction to open the extra spot. Additionally, the team confirmed that Valeri Nichushkin has been cleared to practice with the team as he enters the final few days of his participation in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and corresponding suspension.
Wood would be eligible to come off IR as soon as tomorrow’s game against the Kraken, but that won’t happen. Head coach Jared Bednar said on Oct. 30 that Wood was set to miss around seven to 10 days with the upper-body injury that’s kept him out of Colorado’s last two contests. That pushes his return to the lineup to Thursday against the Jets or the Hurricanes next weekend.
The 29-year-old’s absence adds to a laundry list of injuries at forward for the Avalanche, although they’ll certainly take a swap of him for Lehkonen coming off IR. The checking winger hadn’t been much of a factor for the Avs yet this season, limited to one goal on 19 shots and no assists through 10 games. He had averaged 13:40 per game, one second lower than last season, despite Colorado being without Lehkonen, Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog throughout the entire campaign to date.
With Lehkonen back and the aforementioned trio recalled, the Avs may be able to dress 12 forwards tomorrow for the first time since Wood’s injury. Defenseman Oliver Kylington had suited up on the wing in back-to-back games with Wood out and no roster flexibility for an additional recall from the AHL.
Ivan and Kovalenko each have four points through 12 games this season, both their first regular-season contests in the NHL. Ivan had no previous major-league experience, while Kovalenko suited up twice for the Avs in last year’s playoffs. Meanwhile, all signs point to Prishchepov playing his second NHL game tomorrow. The 20-year-old was selected 217th overall just a few months ago in the 2024 draft and logged 13:30 in his debut against the Predators on Saturday, registering two shots and three hits.
For Nichushkin, his being cleared to practice indicates that he’s fulfilled all the requirements of his Stage 3 placement so far. His corresponding six-month suspension was handed out on May 13, 2024, while the Avalanche were amid their Second Round series against the Stars. He’s eligible to return to the lineup on Nov. 13 against the Kings, and with a nine-day run-up to practice, it’s looking likelier than not that he’ll play.
While a separate stint in the Player Assistance Program limited Nichushkin to 54 games last season, he’s coming off the best campaign of his nine-year NHL career. The 6’4″, 210-lb Russian winger notched 28 goals and 53 points for a career-high 0.98 points per game, also averaging a career-high 21:21 per night. Despite the extended absence, he also led the club with 16 power-play goals.
Nichushkin has six years remaining on the eight-year, $49MM extension he signed in 2022 to keep him off the open market. Many speculated the Avs would try and move that contract given Nichushkin’s struggles to stay in the lineup since the deal began (he’s only played in 107 of 164 possible regular-season games). But given their bevy of injuries and correspondingly underwhelming 5-7-0 record, it makes little sense to part ways with a player who’s been an invaluable part of their top six when healthy.
The Avalanche absolutely must trade Nichushkin, It’s the right thing to do after he embarrassed himself and the team, And ultimately threw his employer under the bus, Twice!
Valeri Nichushkin is a good talent but he needs to be on a team with better leadership in & outside the locker room. Colorado obviously doesn’t have the strongest leadership group. A player like Nichushkin needs that leadership & mentoring of sorts to keep him accountable & on the straight & narrow.
Colorado trading Nichushkin down the line wouldn’t be surprising as I think the organization would rather let another team handle him as there are teams that could provide him the better support he needs.
Who would want a guy who’s one sniff away from a level 4 suspension (full year or more)?
I understand we’re you’re coming from but to me, it seems Nichushkin just doesn’t have the right support around him in Colorado (though the state laws don’t help either lol). He needs a locker room in particular with strong personalities & leadership. Is there a risk with him? Sure…but he’s a talented hockey player with size & scoring abilities & I think with the right support, he could possibly turn things around for himself on the right team.
MacKinnon, Landeskog, Raantanen are a bad leadership bunch?
Yikes if he ends up in most other places
You’re just going off of recognized names but that doesn’t make them great leaders necessarily lol. Leadership comes in many forms. Also, not every team has a close or tight-knit locker room.
Honestly, MacKinnon & Raantanen are more talked about for their skill set than their leadership. MacKinnon has gone on record stating he’s not a real talkative person. Which tells me, he leads more through actions then with words (which isn’t the type of leader Nichushkin needs). Landeskog’s leadership has been brought up in the past but he’s been irrelevant for like 2 years as he’s not even playing & has enough of his own problems recovering from his knee injury. He’s not doing much leading under the circumstances.
Nichushkin for Brock Nelson
I would make that trade. Nelson might be the best center in the league that nobody ever talks about.
Pass! Niko seems like he’s heading to be a star in the KHL, not NHL…