Key Avalanche Forward Steps Away For Personal Reasons

The Colorado Avalanche received back news as they have lost another key forward for the foreseeable future. They are already a very top-heavy team at forward and will be without Valeri Nichushkin for at least the next game in Seattle.

According to head coach Jared Bednar, Nichushkin is gone for personal reasons. Bednar said he has no idea if it's a long-term situation and the player isn't with the team anymore in Seattle. Details haven't been released as to what exactly Nuchushkin left the team for or what he's dealing with in his personal life, but the Avalanche are worse off for it.

Nichushkin only played the first two games of the series and scored one goal while logging 20 minutes per night. Matt Nieto has assumed the role of second line winger, but the depth of the Avalanche will be tested even more. The team is already without Gabriel Landeskog for the entire postseason and the eight bottom-six forwards have combined for one assist in the first three games.

Who knows if we will see Nichushkin before the end of the series. The one thing we do know is that someone will have to really step up because those are big shoes to fill.