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

[Grigowski]

I have faith that the NHL will let the Avs negotiate a settlement with Nuke to go away cap free.

Good luck dealing with the NHLPA...They might have a say in this one.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Wild thing happen when you party with NUKE, just ask the people of old Detroit.

 

[niwotsblessing]

Yeah, we beat Kraken last season with Nuke and Dallas this season. Imo.

He cost us two series. As good as he is, he isn't worth keeping if he can't play.

We have not yet lost to Dallas, and I'm not writing that series off until the scoreboard says otherwise.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

We have not yet lost to Dallas, and I'm not writing that series off until the scoreboard says otherwise.

The point was: we could be potentially winning this series instead of losing it next game. 80% we will lose the series and it was even higher after the game four.

There's a small chance for a comeback.

 

[AvalancheSpeedsters]

Love the guy (or did) hope he gets help but the Avs have to terminate the contract like kings did (different situation somewhat ) with Mike Richards.

 

[wayninja]

Now the syndrome you have from posting all of those Babylon bee memes today, I'm not sure what it's called

 

[MarkT]

For those interested, next season starts 4th October 2024. He can return 14th November, 2024 (that's only 1 month, 10 days), so he won't actually miss that much for us.

We need to think with our hearts here. You don't cast aside a person when they are at their lowest ebb. You nurture, reassure, validate and support both mentally and physically. That's my club.

I'm on board with not hating Nichushkin. If this is indeed an addiction situation, then he deserves pity, sympathy, empathy, and compassion, not anger. But at the same time, there's also no shame in cutting off all contact with an addict, because they simply cannot be trusted. It's not about hating or distancing yourself from the person, it's about hating and distancing yourself from the addiction.

I wish the best for him in the long run, but he doesn't belong anywhere near this team ever again. I hope the Avs are able to get his contract terminated, because otherwise this could get ugly with the fanbase. I don't believe it's the Avs responsibility to turn his life around. He's been given chances, and couldn't do it. I can't imagine the stress and physicality of being a hockey player helped anything, so the best thing for everyone involved would likely be for him to take a break (possibly permanently) from hockey.

 

[Toothless Legend]

The 2022 Cup is miraculous looking back on it. We had Kadri and Nishushkin both in the lineup?!

• Kadri 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021: gets kicked out of the playoffs 3 times in 4 years
• Nichushkin 2023, 2024: gets kicked out of playoffs in back to back years

Both guys played through broken bones but didn't do anything stupid enough to get banned.

2022 was a narrow window and the Avs pulled it off. Not to mention Landeskog's absense since then.

Also Landeskog was clearly playing through a lot of pain in 2022. A lesser mortal likely wouldn't have produced at that rate, let alone been available to play.

 

[Chiarelli]

For those interested, next season starts 4th October 2024. He can return 14th November, 2024 (that's only 1 month, 10 days), so he won't actually miss that much for us.

We need to think with our hearts here. You don't cast aside a person when they are at their lowest ebb. You nurture, reassure, validate and support both mentally and physically. That's my club.

they've tried this and it just enabled the behavior to continue. It's time to move on from Nuke that is clear.

 

[RampoSanta]

I want to believe in his redemption because I love his 200ft game. But I think he is in love with his lifestyle and will probably never change.

Best case scenario is he gets his head on straight, gets reinstated and gets a few games in to look like his normal self. Then trade him before the bomb goes off again

 

[tshack]

Nuke needs to enter a program not sponsored, or whatever, by the NHLPA and get actual help. Bringing him back into the same environment where he's relapsed multiple times is only going to promote a toxic locker room full of resentment. It's not good for him and it's not good for the other players. Best thing for everyone involved is a fresh start, but there's no reason to hate him over it.

These are, mostly, 20 something year old guys with an absurd amount of pressure put on them over a goddamn game. It's pretty surprising that we don't see this more often.

 

[Chiarelli]

If a team gets him on a 1 year prove it deal it will be an absolute no brainer value contract if he stays clean.
Tho I tend to think he just wants out of NA completely at this point.

 

[ABasin]

We need to think with our hearts here. You don't cast aside a person when they are at their lowest ebb. You nurture, reassure, validate and support both mentally and physically.

That's a great way to keep an addict addicted. It's called "enablement".

Anyone who has personally dealt with a loved one who is an addict knows that you do the opposite of what you suggested above. You most certainly do NOT think with your heart, as hard as that may be to do.

You giving Nichushkin lots of Australian baby face kisses is not going to help him.

 

[henchman21]

If a team gets him on a 1 year prove it deal it will be an absolute no brainer value contract if he stays clean.
Tho I tend to think he just wants out of NA completely at this point.

Yeah… the one year prove deal would be a huge hit. The extension that follows would be the bomb.

 

[Chiarelli]

Yeah… the one year prove deal would be a huge hit. The extension that follows would be the bomb.

I would think Evander Kane is the closest comp here? Try keep that below 3 or 4 years assuming he plays stellar on the 1 year.

 

[AvBuff]

From what I've heard, Stage 3 requires Nuke to literally disappear into an off-campus, long-term, live-in facility to dry out and clean out. This isn't a Girard-style, time off with few therapy sessions a week and a 12 Step meeting on Sunday. It's an addiction recovery gulag..

Addiction is treated like any other medical issue with a player/employee. You just don't get to cut them. And coming back isn't guaranteed - he's gotta apply for it. It's an issue to be dealt with within the CBA, the NHLPA and Kroenke's legal beagles., I'm pretty sure something gets worked out . .

I think this goes back to 2022. Nuke's foot was damn near destroyed during the playoffs, and it's friggin' easy to get hooked on booze and Oxy (or worse) to dull the pain. Both booze and pain meds are legal by the way. Which is why the "Seattle Incident" didn't go anywhere - it's not illegal to get drunk and zonked on Oxy with a strange woman from Ukraine in a hotel. Really stupid. Just not necessarily illegal. But it sounds like Nuke didn't stop with prescription stuff.

Just an opinion based on info I've heard from decent sources.

 

[LOFIN]

Yeah… the one year prove deal would be a huge hit. The extension that follows would be the bomb.

Frankly, is it? Is his current contract even a risk? How long is he considered part of the program after re-instated, for the rest of his career? A year? Because if it's for the rest of his career, there's basically zero risk in terms of the contract. A full year ban with no guarantee of re-institution = no doubt the league would give cap relief to a team with his contract.

 

[ABasin]

Frankly, is it? Is his current contract even a risk? How long is he considered part of the program after re-instated, for the rest of his career? A year? Because if it's for the rest of his career, there's basically zero risk in terms of the contract. A full year ban with no guarantee of re-institution = no doubt the league would give cap relief to a team with his contract.

That’s an interesting take. Since he would be in Stage 4, one more strike and he’s out anyway?

Well, if that’s so, then I can see your point of risk mitigation. But my response would be that there is still risk: maybe not financially, but what if he decides to bomb out in May again, when the Avs are in the midst of a playoff run? Again.

 

[Bender]

So in Stage 3 will there be random testing or are they stupidly going to test him on November 12th right before his suspension is up or something?

Because if he couldn't stay clean during the playoffs after f***ing over his team in the playoffs the year before, I'm not really convinced it's a slam-dunk that he'll pass through the hurdles requires to make it out of the program in 6 months (if there are any).

Maybe he'll just fail whatever tests there are prior to the KHL season starting knowing that he'll be perma-banned in the NHL and go make a lot less money in Russia but they'll probably leave him alone over there.

If that's the case and he gets to Stage #4 prior to his 6 months suspension expiring, where does that leave the Avs cap-wise under that scenario?

 

[LOFIN]

That’s an interesting take. Since he would be in Stage 4, one more strike and he’s out anyway?

Well, if that’s so, then I can see your point of risk mitigation. But my response would be that there is still risk: maybe not financially, but what if he decides to bomb out in May again, when the Avs are in the midst of a playoff run? Again.

I didn't say the Avs should take him back. I don't think he's particularly welcome to the locker room anymore.

But there would absolutely be other teams that could be interested. And yes, from a hockey POV it's still a risk that he relapses in the middle of the playoffs.

If that's the case and he gets to Stage #4 prior to his 6 months suspension expiring, where does that leave the Avs cap-wise under that scenario?

Well stage #4 is obviously a year suspension without the cap counting. If he bolts back to Russia, the contract would be terminated so off the books completely. And even if he would not go back to Russia, if he just likes living in America and decides to stay even without playing, I would have to imagine the league is going to give cap relief at that point because there's pretty much not coming back from stage 4.

 

[Balthazar]

Seravalli in today's podcast:

"When you blow off a morning skate in Seattle, and you have a frantic 911 call in your room, and there's a woman found heavily intoxicated that needs to be carted out, and you get whisked away by Avalanche security, I mean...it was truly one of the most underreported stories ever. Had this been another time in another place...I mean he just showed up at training camp again and it's like nothing ever happened. Everyone knew that he left the team under murky circumstances but they kept it under wraps"

 

[henchman21]

Frankly, is it? Is his current contract even a risk? How long is he considered part of the program after re-instated, for the rest of his career? A year? Because if it's for the rest of his career, there's basically zero risk in terms of the contract. A full year ban with no guarantee of re-institution = no doubt the league would give cap relief to a team with his contract.

It isn’t for the rest of his career, but there isn’t anything defined. If he got clean for say 18 months, he’s likely out and a team would then be on the hook to stick through the program on another go round. There’s a lot of risk given the term he has remaining. These issues can come back quickly even if he’s good for a couple years after this.

Alongside this, teams are risk averse. You don’t plan on 6m on your roster than can leave at a moments notice. Too big of a chance to take when the cap has been so flat. Nobody is taking Nuke at his salary without being paid. Now a 1 year 2m deal, absolutely worth the risk.

 

[LOFIN]

Seravalli in today's podcast:

it was truly one of the most underreported stories ever.

Frank, look in the mirror.

 

[Bender]

From what I've heard, Stage 3 requires Nuke to literally disappear into an off-campus, long-term, live-in facility to dry out and clean out. This isn't a Girard-style, time off with few therapy sessions a week and a 12 Step meeting on Sunday. It's an addiction recovery gulag..

If that's the case, I believe there's a real chance he says f*** that... and takes his family home to Russia.

I understand there's a ton of money left on his contract but he's already been paid $12.250M off his current $49 contract so there is $36.75M left on it.

If some sort of settlement is negotiated at 50% as some have suggested, that would around $18M to recuperate IF he's able to jump through the hoops set forth by the program.

Maybe he'll figure, he'll go make 1-2M per over there and wants to get started right away??

I don't know but I don't think we can reason this out by suggesting no one is going to leave that kind of money on the table because before this happened no one would have suggested he'd f*** over his teammates, again.

 

[Balthazar]

Frank, look in the mirror.

National guys don't care enough about the Avs to dig deep into stories like that and the people covering the team are too afraid to lose their credentials to say or write anything that the Avs wouldn't approve.