The Colorado Avalanche were without one of their most impactful two-way players on Monday night, as Valeri Nichushkin was held out following a car accident on his way to the arena. Head coach Jared Bednar made the call to sit him as a precaution, and all signs point to a likely return on Wednesday when the Avs face off against the Anaheim Ducks.
Nichushkin’s absence wasn’t just a missing name on the lineup card-it left a noticeable gap in both ends of the ice. Through 38 games this season, he’s tallied 11 goals and 16 assists, putting him on pace for a 20-plus goal, 30-plus assist campaign.
That’s solid production from a top-six forward, and it underscores just how valuable he’s become in Colorado’s system. He currently ranks sixth on the team in goals and is tied for seventh in assists with Brent Burns.
But stats only tell part of the story. Nichushkin brings a physical presence that few wingers can match.
At 6-foot-4, he’s a load to handle along the boards and in front of the net. He plays a heavy game-relentless on the forecheck, strong on the puck, and unafraid to drive the crease.
That combination of size and skill makes him a matchup nightmare, not unlike what we see from Nathan MacKinnon when he turns on the jets. Nichushkin has already fired 99 shots this season, and when he’s on the ice, defenders tend to think twice before engaging.
With Nichushkin unavailable, the Avalanche turned to Victor Olofsson to fill the second-line right wing spot-and to his credit, Olofsson made the most of the opportunity. He notched a goal and an assist in just over 14 minutes of ice time, adding two shots to his stat line.
Olofsson now sits at nine goals and 14 assists through 47 games. While that’s respectable, consistency has been the missing ingredient in his game.
The Avs could use a little more pop from him, especially when called upon in bigger roles.
Depth is the name of the game in the NHL, and that’s especially true for a team with championship aspirations like Colorado. When a player like Nichushkin is sidelined, it’s not just about replacing his points-it’s about replicating his physical edge and defensive responsibility.
That’s an area where the Avs have struggled this season. According to MoneyPuck, they rank dead last in the league in hits with just 793.
The Penguins, who are second to last, have 824. That gap speaks volumes about Colorado’s style of play, but it also highlights the value of players like Nichushkin who bring grit to a finesse-heavy roster.
Even though the Avalanche have managed to keep winning without him-they’re 8-0-1 in games he’s missed-their record with Nichushkin in the lineup is even more impressive at 26-5-7. That kind of impact isn’t a fluke.
Since arriving in Colorado in 2019, Nichushkin has completely transformed his game. After a lackluster stint in Dallas where his offensive touch seemed to vanish, he’s reinvented himself as a key cog in Colorado’s machine-a reliable, physical, and productive winger who fits perfectly in Bednar’s system.
The hope now is that Nichushkin can return to the lineup and pick up where he left off. With the Ducks on deck and the stretch run looming, the Avalanche will need every bit of his two-way game if they want to keep pace in a loaded Western Conference.