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Valeri Nichushkin News
Valeri Nichushkin is having ankle surgery will miss about a month.

Nichuskin will undergo ankle surgery and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after missing the Avalanches' last four games. This is a terrible loss for the 27-year-old, who was enjoying the best season of his career to date prior to the injury, scoring seven goals and 12 points in his first seven games played.

Valeri Nichushkin
Valeri Nichuskin was on the ice for warmups but will not play Friday.

Nichuskin has missed the Avalanche's last two games due to a lower-body injury but was on the ice for warmups Friday in Finland before heading off prematurely. He is now announced out for Friday's game and will be reevaluated before their second game Saturday. He shares the Avalanche lead in points alongside Nathan MacKinnon with 12 points (7G/5A) in seven games.

Valeri Nichushkin
Valeri Nichuskin will miss Friday's game due to a lower-body Injury

Nichuskin will not dress Friday vs. the Devils after head coach Jared Bednar announced he is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. It is a huge blow for the Avalanche who will now be without their top goal and point scorer as Nichuskin had seven goals and five assists through his first seven games to start 2022-23.

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Nichushkin (lower-body) is on the ice for warmups for Game 6.

Nichushkin was limping noticeably after Game 5 and was questionable for Game 6 but is on the ice for warmups and is expected to play in Tampa on Sunday. Nichushkin has been a difference-maker in the Stanley Cup Final, scoring four goals with two assists (six points) in the first five games.

Valeri Nichushkin
Nichushkin (illness) will be back in the Avalanche lineup on Friday.

Nichushkin missed Tuesday's game in Pittsburgh but will play Friday in Winnipeg. Nichushkin has quietly had an outstanding season, tallying 19 goals with 21 assists (40 points) in 51 games. Recently he's played an expanded role, averaging an incredible 21:25 TOI/gm in his last 11 games.

Valeri Nichushkin