Confirmed with Link: Nichushkin back in assistance program; suspended a minimum of six months

[MacKaRant]

I think we all know how this ends. Avs terminate the contract, Nuke completes the program, and Edmonton, desperate to make a push for the Cup after bowing out embarrassingly this season, gives him a third chance, which results in McDavid finally lifting Lord Stanley.

 

[LOFIN]

How much can the vibes change in one week

 

[Grigowski]

How much can the vibes change in one week

Just wait what the media will do to this team and Bednar by Thursday.

Going from contender to becoming a "joke" within 10 days is something.....

This can only be outbid if the Rangers fully shit the bed against Carolina......

 

[AvsCOL]

I went to bed expecting Drouin back. Woke up to Toews and Nichushkin out lmao

Cursed franchise after that Stanley cup.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I think we all know how this ends. Avs terminate the contract, Nuke completes the program, and Edmonton, desperate to make a push for the Cup after bowing out embarrassingly this season, gives him a third chance, which results in McDavid finally lifting Lord Stanley.

Uglyyyy

Just wait what the media will do to this team and Bednar by Thursday.

Going from contender to becoming a "joke" within 10 days is something.....

This can only be outbid if the Rangers fully shit the bed against Carolina......

But at least we have excuses. Rangers blowing it would be a bit comical after hype going 8-0.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

MacKinnon seeing his nameplate: “Get it off! Get it the f*** off! f***ing get it off NOW!”

 

[MildAvaholic]

Also, it says MINIMUM 6 months, so who really knows when he would be available to come back.

 

[Chiarelli]

 

[LOFIN]

One probably shouldn't speculate, but what the hell. A lot of people around hockey are preaching all this "hope he gets help" and "addiction is a disease", which is all valid. But the quotes from the locker room are also pretty telling. This team has watched this stuff going of for the last 13 months, and who knows how much longer. They probably have a pretty good idea on the circumstances that this has occurred under. And not a ton of sympathy going on. JJ especially.

 

[Alienblood]

If they can’t terminate his contract maybe they can take something out of the Vegas playbook and stash him on LTIR with some BS injury until the playoffs

yep him and Landy gives them.over 13 mil

 

[Ararana]

yep him and Landy gives them.over 13 mil

Don't fool yourself. Landy is 100% going to try to play next season.

Maybe he fails and decided to LTIRetire before the trade deadline and free up that capspace. But they won't have it during the summer.

 

[Golden Foppa]

What about just hanging with porn stars?

Dude I've got no problem with players who want to hangout with and bang hookers, pornstars, or any other type of female, but if you're drinking and doing drugs with them at the team hotel the night before a playoff game you're counter productive to the team winning the Stanley Cup.

 

[MarchessaultCantRead]

The problem is that Val is irreplaceable…especially at his cap hit. He is an essential part of this team.

I’d give him one last chance if he truly puts in the work over the next 6 months to show that he wants to change and wants help.

If not, then the Avs have to move on. But man…this hurts!!

 

[henchman21]

Dude I've got no problem with players who want to hangout with and bang hookers, pornstars, or any other type of female, but if you're drinking and doing drugs with them at the team hotel the night before a playoff game you're counter productive to the team winning the Stanley Cup.

I was trashed and making jokes... don't take me too seriously on that.

The problem is that Val is irreplaceable…especially at his cap hit. He is an essential part of this team.

I’d give him one last chance if he truly puts in the work over the next 6 months to show that he wants to change and wants help.

If not, then the Avs have to move on. But man…this hurts!!

This reads like a battered spouse.

 

[Bender]

Can't be mad at him for having drug addiction issues...but I'm gonna be mad at the team if he comes back in 6 months at full cap hit.

I'm not mad for him having drug addiction issues - I hate the f***ing TIMING of his 'decisions'

You would think that after f***ing over the team and the rest of those guys in the dressing room last year at the most important time of the year that he'd be able to stay clean for the playoffs because he frikkin' owes it to the rest of the guys in that room

That's why I'm mad at him because he's a selfish turd. Like JMFJ said, he made his decision.

The question is Val willing to throw away $33 mil.

There's no question he is going to continue his drug use, but so does half the NHL. As long as he's smart about it moving forward, I could give a rats ass.

Cocaine is common in the NHL. Players don't drink as much alcohol after the games as they used to. In International hockey one would get a ban of 4 years, in the NHL some assistance program.

Keep seeing messages like these two above as if it's really common place yet the only one we've heard about is nichushkin and girard in the past YEAR. So are the Avs the only ones getting drug-tested in the entire league ???

So was tonight Cale Makar's worst career game? Watching the highlights he looked like a disaster.

Yeah, he completely mailed it in and was 100% responsible for the 1st goal of the game. I think he said 'f*** it, I don't want the injections for my hips' and that was the result because he skated like shit the whole night.

 

[Alienblood]

Don't fool yourself. Landy is 100% going to try to play next season.

Maybe he fails and decided to LTIRetire before the trade deadline and free up that capspace. But they won't have it during the summer.

when he tries and fails though he qill be put in LTIR

 

[Shinjuku Calling]

pathetic honestly. get it together

 

[ASmileyFace]

After a night of terrible sleep... it's gotta be over with Nuke and this team.

You can't replace what he brings to the Avs on the ice... I was on the record saying he was my favorite player on this team after the 22' run, went out and bought a jersey as fast as I could. I mean what is our record over the past three seasons with him vs without? Like .500 without and .750 with? He might be the single most important player in the top six to allowing Mikko & MacK to feast. But last night was the last straw. He can never play for this team again. Trade him, waive him, terminate his contract... whatever you have to do, and live with the consequences. I hope he gets it together and has a successful career after this, but it better not be with the Avalanche organization.

It's like the Avs sacrificed their soul for the 22' cup. The bad news comes in waves since.

 

[henchman21]

Keep seeing messages like these two above as if it's really common place yet the only one we've heard about is nichushkin and girard in the past YEAR. So are the Avs the only ones getting drug-tested in the entire league ???

G was for booze and he was the one who decided to get help.

Yes, cocaine use is insanely common in the NHL. MDMA is the other big one. Why? They give a big high, enjoyable to use, flush out of the system quickly, and they don't typically have the downsides of alcohol the next day. In the whole negotiations on PEDs, the NHLPA specifically worked to carve cocaine out of the banned substances. In international hockey (and most sports) it is considered a PED. You can connect the dots on why that was specifically carved out.

On this, Nuke was likely piss tested. It takes only 2 days (sometimes less) to be undetectable for coke. Which means Nuke has been choo choo'ing it all the way through.

 

[LOFIN]

when he tries and fails though he qill be put in LTIR

Sure, but that's not something you can plan around.

 

[MarchessaultCantRead]

I was trashed and making jokes... don't take me too seriously on that.


This reads like a battered spouse.

I learned a long time ago that life is not linear and that some people have to go backward before they can go forward.

Last year was pretty bad, but this should serve as a true rock bottom for Val.

I know a ton of people who credit hitting rock bottom as what finally forced them to change and I hope that Val is just one more of those.

 

[henchman21]

I learned a long time ago that life is not linear and that some people have to go backward before they can go forward.

Last year was pretty bad, but this should serve as a true rock bottom for Val.

I know a ton of people who credit hitting rock bottom as what finally forced them to change and I hope that Val is just one more of those.

There is a lot further Nuke can go. He does not want to change, and as difficult as it may be for anybody connected, until a person wants to change... nothing matters.

 

[LOFIN]

I learned a long time ago that life is not linear and that some people have to go backward before they can go forward.

Last year was pretty bad, but this should serve as a true rock bottom for Val.

I know a ton of people who credit hitting rock bottom as what finally forced them to change and I hope that Val is just one more of those.

We can all have our opinions on whether Val should be back or not, but the quotes from the locker room yesterday were pretty damning. No "hope he gets help and gets better", but "he has made his decision and it is what it is".

6 months is a long time away, but do you think these guys want him back after he f***ed them for a 2nd year in a row at the most important time? That's what matters. And if they don't, the Avs are going to move him. There will be teams who want to have him.

Or, he fails to sober up during the next 6 months, enters stage 4 and all this will be moot because he's not coming back at all.

 

[Grigowski]

One probably shouldn't speculate, but what the hell. A lot of people around hockey are preaching all this "hope he gets help" and "addiction is a disease", which is all valid. But the quotes from the locker room are also pretty telling. This team has watched this stuff going of for the last 13 months, and who knows how much longer. They probably have a pretty good idea on the circumstances that this has occurred under. And not a ton of sympathy going on. JJ especially.

The Seattle incident was strike No. 1 and hard to forgive. The team was allready in a bad mood and than this player shit on them before game 3.....

The "sleeping problems" were strike 2.

What happened yesterday was something, i have never witnessed before. On any team. Hours before a crucial Game 4, with the season on the line. ==> STRIKE 3.

And i am sure there were some more minor things during the last 2 years.....

This org and teammates showed plenty of understanding and help. But enough is enough.

 

[henchman21]

We can all have our opinions on whether Val should be back or not, but the quotes from the locker room yesterday were pretty damning. No "hope he gets help and gets better", but "he has made his decision and it is what it is".

6 months is a long time away, but do you think these guys want him back after he f***ed them for a 2nd year in a row at the most important time?

Nuke is the Avs' very own methhead cousin who you've given money to, overlooked all the shit he stole from your garage, overlooked the time you caught him breaking in to steal more shit, and eventually stole your car to scrap it. At a certain point, you cut the person off and make them face the consequences of their actions.