The timing of Nichushkin’s suspension—announced ahead of Game 4—caught both the team and its fans off guard, sparking curiosity and concern about the NHL’s Player Assistance Program. This joint initiative assists players dealing with a range of personal challenges, including mental health, substance abuse, gambling issues, and family matters. It includes a network of medical professionals available in every NHL city and an annual educational component to keep players informed of its benefits.
“You get a phone call and you see the number and you get a pit in your stomach. That was a tough one,” Avs GM Chris MacFarland recalled of the Stage Three news. “Val is a massive, massive piece of our on-ice puzzle. Our record with him and without him is obviously very telling. He's a super hockey player. There's two sides of the coin, right?
There's the human side. As somebody who's over the last twelve months, has had two players go into the program, (I’ve) had to sort of try to get as educated as possible.
And (as) somebody who was not really familiar with addiction and the challenges of it, you feel for the person. This is a human being. He's a dad. He's a husband. First and foremost, there's not a member of our organization that doesn't want Val to get stuff right in his own life so that he can be in a good place.”
Nichushkin publicly entered the program on January 15, 2024, and continued his path to recovery. He privately entered Stage One following the 2023 Seattle incident which marked the 2024 January stint as Stage Two.
The assistance program's structure is well-defined: Stage One involves initial treatment without penalties, progressing through more severe measures in subsequent stages if violations occur.
Stage Three, Nichushkin’s stage, mandates suspension without pay for at least six months, signaling the seriousness of his situation. A further violation would escalate him to Stage Four, where reinstatement is not assured and players are suspended for an entire season. His NHL future hangs in the balance.
Coach Jared Bednar acknowledged the significant impact of Nichushkin’s absence, expressing dual concerns for both the team’s dynamics and the player’s well-being: “Val is obviously struggling with something,” Bednar said. “I have two thoughts. Yeah, it sucks for our team… There’s still 20-plus guys in that room that care and want to win and that are here. That’s what we have to focus on. It hurts our team. There’s no question. He’s a great player.
And the second one is I’ve gotten to know Val as a person and I’ve gotten to know him as one of our teammates and I want what’s best for him. I want him to be happy and I want him to be content in his life, whether that is with our team or not with our team. I want the best for him and his family. I think all of our guys are the same. We hope that he can find some peace and get help.”
Captain Gabriel Landeskog echoed a similar notion, “Val is a teammate of ours. He's a friend of ours. He's somebody that we've raised the Cup with and had lots of good memories with and challenges you've gone through over the years with, so you care for him and you want him to get help… What happens here moving forward, that's up to him, how he's gonna handle it. We're pulling for him.”
The Colorado Avalanche opened the season without him. Back in September, Nathan MacKinnon was asked what the team would need to hear from Nichushkin to welcome him back with open arms, "I don't think we need to hear anything,” MacKinnon said. “When he gets back, I'm sure he'll be in awesome shape like he always is."
He returned to Denver in late-October to start ramping up his conditioning and establish a reconnection with his teammates. He was cleared to practice and joined the team for skates in early-November.
Cleared to return to play on November 13th, he made his season-debut on November 15th against the Washington Capitals at home in Ball Arena.
“He's our friend,” MacKinnon said at morning skate. “He's a great guy to be around. He's just a great teammate, obviously hell of a player, and really, really happy he's back. It’s a big boost for us.”
Makar shared in the sentiment of excitement, “It's been great. Obviously, he adds a huge presence to our team. To have him back is going to be huge.”
The team effort fell flat against the Capitals, but Nichushkin’s individual performance showed promise. He didn’t look like a player who missed six months of hockey. There was some rust in terms of execution, but he looked powerful.
The Avs didn’t secure the win, but this postgame was bigger than the loss.
Nichushkin addressed the media for the first time since his six-month suspension to talk about his progress through the care of the Player Assistance program and under his own care team.
“It’s a lot of good emotions today,” he said. “I'm in Denver (since) last month, so (I got to) spend time with the guys.”
He said that he’s felt support from all of his teammates. “They supported me kinda from the first day. It’s (a) huge help when guys (are) still with you.”
Importantly, he provided a positive update on his health. “I feel amazing. I feel strong. My mind (is) in the right spots right now,” he said. “I had huge progress with my mental health, so I hope it never happens again.”
He added that he talked to some guys one on one to answer questions and explain what happened in a little more detail if they asked.
“Six months, I worked pretty much every day. I have some people from Russia (that) I work with around the year already and we have (had) huge progress. So a little bit changed, like my lifestyle a little bit changed, even (my) workout in the gym - so I have my energy in a lot of different things too.”
His return to the ice marks an important step in his journey, but it comes with an understanding that trust and stability are built over time. The path ahead requires continued diligence and commitment. Nichushkin has a lot of people in his corner including the full backing and support of his team - the rest is in his hands.
