Yesterday, we learned that Valeri Nichushkin failed a drug test and has been suspended for a minimum of six months without pay. Needless to say, this is a very bad time for this kind of distraction.

Indeed, history is repeating itself. Nichushkin had a similar problem last year, which caused him to miss games. The Avalanche subsequently suffered defeats.

Naturally, the comments in the locker room are not very positive. They have a teammate who let them down and brought them a lot of trouble and distraction.

Jack Johnson was particularly disappointed that Valeri made such a decision, especially at the worst time of the year. The Avalanche then suffered a 5-1 loss last night, and they are up against the wall.

The team has already taken action, and Nichushkin’s nameplate has been removed. There is increasing talk of contract buyout in this case, but it will be very complicated because he is signed until 2030. It’s a real nightmare for the organization.

Regardless, the Avalanche must find a way to bounce back quickly, or their season could end in the next game. Their starts to games have been catastrophic since the beginning of this series.

They have trailed by several goals more often than not. Let’s see now if they can turn the tide, but it won’t be easy.