Valeri Nichushkin placed in NHLPA assistance program stage 3 - suspended without pay for min. 6 months

[Aqualung]

Addiction is a disease and needs to be treated with care and diligence— which I hope he gets.

 

[MOGlLNY]

There's no way his teammates on the Avs want him back after this is the second time this has happened 2 playoffs in a row.

Of course I hope he gets help but man.

 

[Connor McConnor]

Dallas looked like team to beat anyways but massive blow for Colorado and this guys career.

Sucks to see, hope he gets the help he needs he’s a hell of a player

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Have to wonder if Colorado moves on from him. I could even see them opting to terminate his contract since, if I'm not mistaken, they'd be allowed to do so since he apparently violated a drug test.

You hope for the guy to overcome this but he's been given a lot of chances by the Avs.

 

[Turin]

If you don't think having to source narcotics constantly in different cities, to stave off withdrawals, while hiding it from teammates you are constantly around and doing everything else required to be an NHL player, you're delusional. Sure, there's people who are functional addicts, but not many are able to be at the top of their field.

If you don't think it's incredibly easy for millionaires to buy drugs and use drugs and if you think they actually are hiding it diligently from everyone - you are the delusional one. It's way more difficult and requires way more discipline to be at the top of your field and not be an addict to something.

 

[OurlordAndSaviorKuch]

Well that’s not good or ideal

 

[Oilslick941611]

A. It is illegal so the NHL shouldn’t just ignore it.

2. If they were aware of his illegal drug use, ignored it and say he crashed his car into a group of pedestrians after a game, the NHL would be paying out a likely 8 or 9 figure settlement.

D. He is putting himself and his body at risk (fentanyl is cutting down people in their prime on a daily basis).

also, what if he has an incident on the ice? Like he goes crazy and injuries someone, or even worse, what if he collapses/faints and it all comes out that the NHL knew about his drug issues. Think of all the liability issues that would result from that.

These programs are not only for player protection but protecting the NHL itself. This is his 3rd strike. The punishment fits, especially given the conditions of returning from previous assistance stages. We can all pity him and say addiction sucks just move on, but at some point addiction screws your life and the people around you can't ignore it. Shitty situation all around.

 

[Lou Sassole]

Again, no it's not. Drugs like cocaine don't cripple a players ability to perform. Often they increase it. I'm sure it's decreasing now, but 80% of all NHL players in history could be classified as drug addicts or alcoholics.

Exactly, go Google Lawrence Taylor.

 

[Turin]

This thread is lacking a lot of empathy.

Hope he gets help so he can stop throwing away his great life and talent and screwing over his team who gave him millions of dollars to do things like not get kicked out of the playoffs for drugs.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

This guy needs serious help and less access to millions of dollars in cash

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

This thread is lacking a lot of empathy.

A lot of people get into party drugs and keep doing them. NHL has basically normalized them in the last decade. Look for there to be a scandal like there was in baseball in the 80s as soon as public view of drug use becomes less lenient (it’s already happening).

Yes addiction is disease but how about not experimenting with stuff that is known to be addictive in the first place.

 

[Taswell]

If you don't think it's incredibly easy for millionaires to buy drugs and use drugs and if you think they actually are hiding it diligently from everyone - you are the delusional one. It's way more difficult and requires way more discipline to be at the top of your field and not be an addict to something.

Go read or watch the video on former NBA player Chris Herren and get back to me.

 

[surixon]

I hope he is able to get the help he needs.

 

[blundluntman]

Talk about a gunshot to the f***** chest. You can't replace a guy like Nichushkin, I really wish things didn't have to go this way but addiction is a serious monster for a lot of people. Just hate to see it as a fan and as a person

 

[Beau Knows]

Tbh when I saw the headline for a 6 month suspension I assumed it was PEDs, I forgot you could get suspended for testing positive for other types of drugs multiple times.

Stage 4 of the program would cost him at least a year, if he tested positive again. The threat of losing a player for that long is a lot of baggage. I hope he's able to turn things around in the next 6+ months, who knows many more opportunities he'll have.

 

[Turin]

Go read or watch the video on former NBA player Chris Herren and get back to me.

Herren struggled because he kept getting suspended. Not because the drugs kept him from being good.

 

[Channelcat]

As further supplemental discipline the NHL announcing that the Ottawa Senators will forfeit their 2026 first round pick to the Rangers.

 

[AslanRH]

A lot of self righteous folks were ready to bury him it seems.
Hope they never have to deal with these issues directly because it isn't as easy as just turning it off and it being the end of the fight.

I just hope for the best outcome for him and his young family.

 

[Avsfan1921]

Have to wonder if Colorado moves on from him. I could even see them opting to terminate his contract since, if I'm not mistaken, they'd be allowed to do so since he apparently violated a drug test.

You hope for the guy to overcome this but he's been given a lot of chances by the Avs.

Hope the dude gets help. Also hope he’s done with the avs. They’ve been very good to him and this is the second playoffs in a row he’s screwed them….

I have empathy for him but do not want him on this team anymore, don’t care the circumstances.

 

[Turin]

A lot of people get into party drugs and keep doing them. NHL has basically normalized them in the last decade. Look for there to be a scandal like there was in baseball in the 80s as soon as public view of drug use becomes less lenient (it’s already happening).

Yes addiction is disease but how about not experimenting with stuff that is known to be addictive in the first place.

That would require the concept of responsibility, which is taboo apparently now. Like how Nichushkin was responsible to his club and his teammate when he signed that contract.

It's not like these guys have biological predispositions that make them extra vulnerable, like native americans who genetically cannot process alcohol - even though I am aware that growing up in Russia in the 90's wasn't a good environment, there's still a dimension here that he has to own.

 

[Avsfan1921]

A lot of self righteous folks were ready to bury him it seems.
Hope they never have to deal with these issues directly because it isn't as easy as just turning it off and it being the end of the fight.

I just hope for the best outcome for him and his young family.

You can have empathy for someone and not want to deal with them anymore…

 

[Danarqhy]

Gotta wonder what the drugs are considering he was beasting out there

 

[CanadienShark]

Damn that's a huge blow to the Avs.

 

[Schennanigans]

I don’t know how you have so much in life and piss it all away. What a huge loss for the avs.

 

[JKG33]

Guy is a GTA character.. You're either getting a stone cold killer (metaphor) in the playoffs... or he's balls deep in foreign cars, foreign women, drugs, and guns. High risk high reward