Bold Update On Valeri Nichushkin's Status Emerges Out of Russia

There's been some uncertainty about the future of Valeri Nichushkin with the Colorado Avalanche. He's currently serving a six-month suspension without pay after being placed in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in May. He is eligible to return in mid-November if he applies for reinstatement, and according to former Russian National Team scout Sergey Fedotov, that is exactly what will happen.

Sports.Ru reports in no uncertain terms that Nichushkin will be back in November:

According to Nichushkin, the picture is 95% clear: he returns in November fully ready, trains, works with a psychologist and continues the season. That’s it. In November, Valery Nichushkin returns to Colorado in good shape and starts playing. There are no other questions.

The article goes on to insinuate that Nichushkin plans to use his full no-movement clause if the Avalanche try to invoke a trade.

Fedotov, who is close with Nichushkin, spoke out angrily about the reports circulating about potential alcohol problems that led to the player's current situation.

I was pissed off by the information thrown out by one journalist who, without looking into it, said that it was alcohol. And here this topic is picked up at the snap of a finger. It is a national trait to discuss who got drunk.

But according to Fedotov, that was not the case at all with Nichushkin. It was, in fact, sleep problems (as he reported several months ago) and the associated medication that came with it that led to his substance abuse issues.

There's still a lot to play out in this drama, but this report seems to indicate that Nichushkin will be back in Colorado in November. The Avalanche, of course, would be better off for it, as he potted a career-best 28 goals last season, with 53 points in 54 games while playing 21:21 per night.