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

[RoyIsALegend]

CMac in the hotel lobby as Nuke sneaks out in a bad moustache disguise:

 

[BaconNater]

He joined a broken family and it's not just Nuke.

IMO we'll learn a few stories about this year's locker room in the near future.

i think most of us assumed the Toews comments at the beginning of the year were about RyJo, have to imagine there's more to it

 

[Pokecheque]

He should tell Parise to step it the f*** up. He's been useless 97% of the time he's on the ice. A friend of mine knows Parise from No Dak and is his biggest fan and is at a loss for what he's seen with him on the Avs. He kept hyping him as a big game PO guy. He looks as more more washed then Cogs. At least Cogs still has wheels sometimes.

He's simply too slow, he's chasing the play everywhere. He could keep up with the Jets, who were hella slow themselves, especially on the blueline, but this Stars team is playing keep-away with him.

As has been stated already, he's a bottom sixer AT BEST, I'd say he's a fourth liner and barely one at that. All in all he's a 39-year-old player who's likely hobbled from that injury he suffered earlier in the season, and as such he's just not that effective.

I ain't blaming him for any of his shortcomings, he's certainly putting in the effort but it just ain't happenin'. I was kinda looking forward to seeing him in a lesser role (hopefully not on the third line with Wood and Colton because that trio was a disaster every time it took to the ice) but alas, Nichushkin prevented that from happening.

 

[Pokecheque]

i think most of us assumed the Toews comments at the beginning of the year were about RyJo, have to imagine there's more to it

Johansen was definitely one of those guys. I'm guessing, but not sure, that Byram was as well. It's not necessarily lack of effort either. Unlike Johansen, I think Byram put in the effort, but Bednar always talks about the buy-in. I just don't think it was there, and that's one of many reasons why Bo isn't there anymore.

I'm guessing this will get a pretty response from someone in 3...2...1...

P.S. I don't think the Avs locker room is a dysfunctional mess, but they are missing some key leadership and right now are a bit fragile. Understandable given the circumstances.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Let's be clear... Ryan Johansen was simply lazy, but not a bad teammate or a concern in the locker room at all.

Guys liked him, as a person. He's funny, engages in conversation, doesn't cause trouble, never a risk to have the cops show up at his door or any tomfoolery. Again, he was just f***ing lazy.

 

[GeoRox89]

Let's be clear... Ryan Johansen was simply lazy, but not a bad teammate or a concern in the locker room at all.

Guys liked him, as a person. He's funny, engages in conversation, doesn't cause trouble, never a risk to have the cops show up at his door or any tomfoolery. Again, he was just f***ing lazy.

His on ice play left much to be desired but the idea of him being a locker room problem is weird. Could definitely see them getting sick of his laziness but it’s hard to imagine the guy who came into a new team and was the impetus behind dedicating the mom’s trip to Manson’s late mom is a bad teammate off the ice

 

[BaconNater]

Let's be clear... Ryan Johansen was simply lazy, but not a bad teammate or a concern in the locker room at all.

Guys liked him, as a person. He's funny, engages in conversation, doesn't cause trouble, never a risk to have the cops show up at his door or any tomfoolery. Again, he was just f***ing lazy.

Ohya? But Dater said he was an issue in the locker room! I'm not sure who to believe

(I'm kidding)

 

[AegonLeConqueror]

Let's be clear... Ryan Johansen was simply lazy, but not a bad teammate or a concern in the locker room at all.

Guys liked him, as a person. He's funny, engages in conversation, doesn't cause trouble, never a risk to have the cops show up at his door or any tomfoolery. Again, he was just f***ing lazy.

If you watched the recent Josh Manson feature on Sportsnet (for any Canadians out there on this board), Johansen was also the one who helped make a tribute for Josh's mom who had recently passed away for the annual Avs mom's trip.

 

[avalanche_country]

I’d give Nuke about a 1% chance if not hitting level 4. What a waste of a talent

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

His on ice play left much to be desired but the idea of him being a locker room problem is weird. Could definitely see them getting sick of his laziness but it’s hard to imagine the guy who came into a new team and was the impetus behind dedicating the mom’s trip to Manson’s late mom is a bad teammate off the ice

Well, it looked like at the end of his tenure MacK and his buddies were sick of him.

Good person or not, a lazy person can break the team's spirit by showing a bad example.

The team started playing much better after he was gone.

 

[Dr Amazing204]

Dang big Val broke my heart with this one ouch Val very ouch.

Go Avs Go

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I think it would be very easy for the Avs to hire a licensed and well regarded psychiatrist to testify that the lifestyle of an NHL player is counter-productive to the path of sobriety that is in Nuke's best interest and therefore he should be considered unfit to return to play.

Life on the road, travel to different time zones, irregular sleep schedules all seem like they would be pretty bad for a recovering addict who suffers from circadian rhythm and sleep deprivation problems or whatever it was that put him in stage 2.

 

[SB]

Well, it looked like at the end of his tenure MacK and his buddies were sick of him.

Good person or not, a lazy person can break the team's spirit by showing a bad example.

The team started playing much better after he was gone.

Yes, you can be a likeable dude but still disappoint people. Mikko used to just glare at him with his patented glower. It's almost like Ryjo was trying too hard to be liked off the ice since everyone knew how shitty he was on the ice. I thought he was nice and funny and all that, but just got bad vibes from the interactions.

 

[SB]

I think it would be very easy for the Avs to hire a licensed and well regarded psychiatrist to testify that the lifestyle of an NHL player is counter-productive to the path of sobriety that is in Nuke's best interest and therefore he should be considered unfit to return to play.

Life on the road, travel to different time zones, irregular sleep schedules all seem like they would be pretty bad for a recovering addict who suffers from circadian rhythm and sleep deprivation problems or whatever it was that put him in stage 2.

I mean ... perhaps I think we know his reason for not sleeping? He was using it in games, wasn't he.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I mean ... perhaps I think we know his reason for not sleeping? He was using it in games, wasn't he.

I thought the dripping sarcasm would come through. I should have used the emoticon to ensure clarity though.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I mean ... perhaps I think we know his reason for not sleeping? He was using it in games, wasn't he.

He was puck hound for a reason. Coked out of his mind.

Quoting the great Michael Scott:


Cocaine makes you productive.

 

[SB]

He was puck hound for a reason. Coked out of his mind.

Quoting the great Michael Scott:


Cocaine makes you productive.

So the team won't miss a clean Nuke quite so much. Silver linings.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

So the team won't miss a clean Nuke quite so much. Silver linings.

Who knows. Someone performs better under influence someone worse.

Girard seems to do better without. Some people just lose completely the spark of life and start to perform worse. It's like they need to have the spark of life (alcohol, drugs). Dennis Rodman was a good example of this. He went overboard, but he said he needed to blow off some steam sometimes and his money.

Addictions are messed up.

 

[Foppa2118]

The NHL sure makes some nonsensical decisions. Good luck getting any team or player to sign up for the assistance program again, now that they know they could pull you on game day from a playoff game for a drug test, and then suspend you without pay for at least 6 months.

If he didn't join the program, he never would have been drug tested. So the message you just sent everyone dealing with addiction is to not join the program, so they don't get tested.

That said, I'm very disappointed in Val for letting the team down again. Wouldn't be surprised if he was basically pushed to go into the program by the team, and never really took it seriously. I hope he can get things sorted in his life, and find a way to be happy without his vices.

 

[LOFIN]

If he didn't join the program, he never would have been drug tested. So the message you just sent everyone dealing with addiction is to not join the program, so they don't get tested.

The NHL tests every player for PEDs. And one would imagine that if player refuses to join the program, that’s grounds for contract termination.

 

[Foppa2118]

The NHL tests every player for PEDs. And one would imagine that if player refuses to join the program, that’s grounds for contract termination.

They get tested once during training camp, and once during the regular season. They can be "randomly" selected during the playoffs, but I've got a bridge to sell anyone who believes he was randomly selected.

Either way, this sends a message to people not to join the program. The NHL has admitted more and more players are doing cocaine, but I don't recall anything ever happening because of it. This very harsh punishment happened because it's part of the rules of the program, so why would a player or team take that risk now?

"Every team is subject to teamwide, no-notice testing once during training camp and once during the regular season. Individual players can be selected for random testing during the regular season and playoffs."

Why haven't there been more PED cases in the NHL?

Do hockey players really not dope or is the system designed to allow them to hide? We ask NHLers, along with experts in the sports science field.

www.espn.com

 

[Alienblood]

In game?

this , he would have to do coke in game to get the PED effects.

 

[Grigowski]

The NHL sure makes some nonsensical decisions. Good luck getting any team or player to sign up for the assistance program again, now that they know they could pull you on game day from a playoff game for a drug test, and then suspend you without pay for at least 6 months.

If he didn't join the program, he never would have been drug tested. So the message you just sent everyone dealing with addiction is to not join the program, so they don't get tested.

That said, I'm very disappointed in Val for letting the team down again. Wouldn't be surprised if he was basically pushed to go into the program by the team, and never really took it seriously. I hope he can get things sorted in his life, and find a way to be happy without his vices.

The downfall for Nichuschkin was the famous "Seattle-incident". Thats what brought him into Stage 1 and on the hook of the league.

Once you are in, you are on the radar.

So if the league, or drug-watchers, are testing, you can be sure the guy who just came out of Stage 2 is on their radar. Thats not some conspiracy.

Sure, he could have refused to cooperate and join the program. But you can be sure as hell his contract would have ended/get terminated right there in Seattle. And the NHLPA imho could have done nothing the prevent this.

In the end, players want to save their contract/money. So they go into rehab/program.

So the message is:
Dont get caught or behave dumb. Something our guy was not capable of.

And i am sure there were some more "things" during his tenure in Denver that got swept under the carpet by the AVS (Not a good look for the franchise, if you ask me).

Not only did he f*** his team, twice (!!), during a crucial time, he f***ed MacFarland, Sakic and the rest of the managemet too.

This player will never ever play another game for the AVS, yet ever take a foot in any locker-room again. That ship has sailed. Or in the words for JJ "He made his decisions".

 

[Foppa2118]

The downfall for Nichuschkin was the famous "Seattle-incident". Thats what brought him into Stage 1 and on the hook of the league.

Once you are in, you are on the radar.

So if the league, or drug-watchers, are testing, you can be sure the guy who just came out of Stage 2 is on their radar. Thats not some conspiracy.

Sure, he could have refused to cooperate and join the program. But you can be sure as hell his contract would have ended/get terminated right there in Seattle. And the NHLPA imho could have done nothing the prevent this.

In the end, players want to save their contract/money. So they go into rehab/program.

So the message is:
Dont get caught or behave dumb. Something our guy was not capable of.

And i am sure there were some more "things" during his tenure in Denver that got swept under the carpet by the AVS (Not a good look for the franchise, if you ask me).

Not only did he f*** his team, twice (!!), during a crucial time, he f***ed MacFarland, Sakic and the rest of the managemet too.

This player will never ever play another game for the AVS, yet ever take a foot in any locker-room again. That ship has sailed. Or in the words for JJ "He made his decisions".

Oh I didn't mean to suggest it was a conspiracy. I just meant to suggest what you you did. He was on their radar. Whether it's PED's, or recreational drugs, the judicial system, or other sports, when you get on their radar, you get tested more often.

Totally Val's fault for that, but I also don't think the NHL through through the repercussion of this when they put this in the rule of the program.

You want players to take this very underused step to get help if they need it. it felt like this year we were started to see a lot more players use it. Now I have a feeling they'll just go back to concealing it, so they don't risk being suspended without pay, and teams will be less likely to push for it like the Avs probably did, because they won't want to risk losing key player for the rest of the playoffs on game day.

Was it confirmed somewhere he was put in stage 1 after Seattle? I don't think we heard that before. He just left the team for "personal reasons."

 

[Boulder Avalanche]

If being in the player assistance program brings more testing and scrutiny then players understandably will avoid it. The incentive structure just doesn’t favor a player entering it unless they are forced. Add in that a player will have their privacy violated by the program being very public and reaching out for help is made even more difficult. The solution is simple an increase in testing for all players and no additional penalties if you are in the player assistance program and get caught. It is completely the fault of Val but he isn’t the only player doing what he did in all likelihood.