NHL: Colorado Avalanche player Valeri Nichushkin suspended for six months without pay

Colorado Avalanche player Valeri Nichushkin has been suspended six months without pay and has been placed in stage 3 of the league's player assistance programme. The suspension was announced by the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) an hour before the Game 4 against the Dallas Stars on Monday (May 13). This is the second time in the season that he's been put in the programme and the stage 3 refers to violation of the programme terms.

The suspensions means that the 29-year-old Russian will miss the remainingof the postseason and the first month of the next season as well. Speaking on the issue, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar acknowledged that Nichushkin is 'struggling with something.'

”Yeah, it sucks for our team. We’ve got to turn the page. We’ve got to go play way better than we did today. There’s still 20-plus guys in that room that care and want to win and that are here. That’s what we have to focus on. It hurts our team. There’s no question. He’s a great player."

The coach, however, refused to say that the incident let theteam down: “I’ve gotten to know Val as a person and I’ve gotten to know him as one of our teammates and I want what’s best for him," Bednar said. "I want him to be happy and I want him to be content in his life, whether that is with our team or not with our team. I want the best for him and his family. I think all of our guys are the same. We hope that he can find some peace and get help.”

The coach, meanwhile, said that he doesn't have an idea about if the player could be united with the team in future: "I have no idea,” Bednar said.