It's been an uphill battle all season for the Avalanche. It's not about to get any easier.
Star forward Valeri Nichushkin, who has not played a game in 2025, had a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury and no longer is close to returning, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said on Altitude Sports Radio Wednesday.
Instead of being considered day-to-day, Nichushkin has been pushed back to week-to-week, Bednar said.
"Any time without Val is worrisome," Bednar said after morning skate on Wednesday. "Now we don't have a solid timeline on his return."
The last time Nichushkin suited up was on Dec. 31 against the Winnipeg Jets. Late in the second period, the winger exited the game. His timeline since then has been all over the place. The team was originally hoping it would be a 7-10 day injury at worst. It's now stretched beyond three weeks.
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That's par for the course for the Avalanche this season. Colorado has yet to play a game with a healthy forward group. Nichushkin joined the team for a full practice earlier this week and was inching closer to a return but didn't make it through the entire skate. Afterwards, The Denver Gazette asked Bednar if a situation like that makes them step off the gas when it comes to bringing Nichushkin back.
"There's no gas," Bednar said. "You just basically progress him step-by-step with any injury, whatever those steps are that our medical team sees fit. He gets to the point where he says he wants to join practice, that he's feeling good. They like the strength in the area of his injury, and then you got to go. And if you can't go, they'll back him off a few steps and keep working with him until he can go."
Nichushkin's frequent absences have proven he might be just as important to this team's success as the other stars on the squad. With Nichushkin in the lineup this season, the Avalanche are 14-7. Without him, they're 14-12-1.
And it sounds like they're going to be without him for a while longer.
Colorado has nine games remaining until they take a break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. That includes Wednesday's pivotal matchup against the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets at Ball Arena.
