Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin skated with skills coach Toby Petersen and another staff member on Friday after the team finished its practice at Family Sports in Centennial.
Head coach Jared Bednar said Nichushkin has been skating at the practice facility for a couple weeks but is not yet allowed around the team until the NHL clears him.
The 29-year-old Russian was suspended on May 13 for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHL Players’ Association player assistance program.
“Not allowed to be around our guys yet, and we’re hoping that date’s coming quick. So I don’t know exactly what the date’s going to be just yet but we’re hoping it’s early this month,” Bednar said after practice on Thursday. “So that would put him ready — like if he can join our team and start practicing early this month, which sounds like that’s a very good possibility — then we’re, in our heads, like waiting for the 15th or 13th or whatever date they give us, somewhere in that range, that he can play.”
No matter the team’s personal position in the 6-foot-4 forward’s return, his presence on the ice has been missed and will be welcomed back.
“We welcome back with open arms. He’s a teammate of ours, a friend of ours and we wanted him to get the help he needs to feel better about himself as a person, as a man,” Devon Toews said on media day, Sept. 18. “And then we’ll welcome him into our team when he’s willing and able to. We want him to be happy, healthy, strong, and be a good person. As long as he’s coming in, and doing that, and trying to help our team win, and be a good person and a part of this team and this organization, then I think we’re happy with it.”
Nathan MacKinnon said he does not need Nichushkin to address him upon his return. The elite forward focused on his teammate’s talent and ability to help the team win.
“When he gets back, I’m sure he’ll be in awesome shape like he always is. He was playing great, obviously when that happened so yeah I don’t really need to hear anything,” MacKinnon said on media day.
Nichushkin missed about two months last season when he was in Stage 2 of the player assistance program but put up 53 points in the 54 games he played. He also tallied 10 points in the eight Stanley Cup Playoff games he participated in before being removed from the team and suspended.