Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has been suspended for a minimum of six months just one hour before Game 4 against the Stars.

  - Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin, aged 29, has been suspended for a minimum of six months without pay and placed in stage 3 of the league’s player assistance program before Game 4 of a second-round series with the Stars.

- The suspension was announced by the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association roughly an hour before the start of the game against the Stars. This marks the second time Nichushkin has been in the program this season, with Stage 3 indicating a violation of program terms.

- As a result, Nichushkin will be absent for the remainder of the postseason and the initial month of the next season at least. His teammates learned about the suspension upon arriving at the rink before the game, which they lost 5-1, placing them at a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series [citation:10].

- Avalanche coach Jared Bednar expressed understanding and support for Nichushkin, acknowledging the challenges he is facing and emphasizing the need for the team to focus on moving forward despite the setback [citation:10].

- Nichushkin's absence follows his prior time away earlier in the season for care from the NHLPA/NHL Player Assistance Program and missing the final five games of the last playoff season due to personal reasons [citation:10].

- The situation adds to the complexity of a significant setback for the Avalanche, with Nichushkin's absence impacting the team's performance and dynamics as they face a pivotal Game 5 against the Stars [citation:10].