Valeri Nichushkin placed in NHL Player Assistance Program, suspended for at least 6 months

The NHL and NHLPA announced Monday that Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has been placed in Stage 3 of the Player Assistance Program of the NHLPA and NHL.

The league said Nichushkin will be suspended without pay for a minimum of six months.

According to EP Rinkside's Sean Shapiro, Stage 3 of the program is when there has been a violation of Stage 2.

Nichushkin was in the program earlier this season for nearly two months. When he returned to the team, he struggled to produce until the last game of the season and then netted two goals.

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"I think when I come back, like I was pretty good, but then I had little problems with my groin, so it's like, back and forth," Nichushkin told The Hockey News' Colleen Flynn after the final game of the season on April 18. "Some days good, some days not but it's good to have three days before that game, so it was enough time for rest, healing, you know? I feel pretty good today. Probably best energy by me, but since I come back after the groin problem. And I think it's a good time because big games coming."

The 29-year-old scored his first career hat trick in Game 4 of the first round against the Winnipeg Jets and tied Pat LaFontaine for longest goal-scoring streak in NHL playoff history. He scored at least a goal in the first seven games of the postseason and was two points behind the Avalanche leaders — Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen — with 10.

The Russian forward will not be eligible for reinstatement until his suspension is over, the league said.

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