Avalanche's Valeri Nichushkin in Player Assistance Program; Suspended for 6 Months

The Colorado Avalanche will be without forward Valeri Nichushkin for the rest of the playoffs. The NHL and National Hockey League Players' Association announced Monday that Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in the Stage 3 of the Player Assistance Program of the NHLPA and NHL. While the NHL didn't give a reason for the move, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported that "Nichushkin recently failed a drug test."