MAJOR | Avalanche forward takes personal leave of absence from the team

Just before puck drop, it was revealed that Valeri Nichushkin was away from the team for personal reasons and it's unclear on how long he'll be out. When asked if it was a long-term situation, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said that he had no idea.

Nichushkin, 28, is in his fourth year with the Avalanche after signing with them in August 2019 following four seasons with the Dallas Stars. In 53 games, Nichushkin was nearly a point-per-game player, putting up 47 points (17 goals, 30 assists), two penalty minutes and was a plus-15.

Last summer after helping the Colorado Avalanche win their third Stanley Cup in franchise history, the Chelyabinsk (Russia) native signed an eight-year extension worth $49 million that'll keep him in Denver until 2030.

We hope everything is okay with Nichushkin and his family and that he'll be back on the ice with the Avalanche when the time is right.

Source: Sportsnet