The Colorado Avalanche are going to be without one of their more productive forwards, as Valeri Nichushkin will miss game action with a lower-body injury.
Head coach Jared Bednar shared an update that Nichushkin is “going to miss some time” on Wednesday with a group of reporters that included Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports. Bednar added that he did not know how much time the Russian winger would miss.
Nichushkin, a 30-year-old veteran who was drafted No. 10 overall by the Dallas Stars in the 2013 NHL Draft, is in his seventh season as a member of the Avalanche, and he has 12 points on 5 goals and 7 assists through his first 17 games of the campaign.
Nichushkin has yet to put together a full 82-game season at the NHL level due to a lengthy injury history. In January of 2024, he entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, and that May he was placed in Stage 3 of the program, meaning he was suspended without pay for a minimum of six months. He returned to the team and NHL action in November of 2024, putting up 34 points in 43 games last season.
In his absence, Victor Olofsson is a candidate to move into the top six to join Ross Colton and Brock Nelson on the second line. Olofsson has produced well this year, racking up 14 points in his 17 appearances.
Colorado has quickly established itself as the class of the NHL in the season’s early going. The Avs have lost just one game in regulation, and their 11-1-5 record gives them 27 points, four more than the next closest team in the NHL.
The Avalanche will play each of their next three games on home ice at Ball Arena against the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders and New York Rangers. They’ll then have a quick road trip for a back-to-back that includes showdowns against Central Division opponents in Nashville and Chicago.
“We’ve got to be better, plain and simple. There’s no excuse for where we are right now. We need to hold ourselves accountable and make the necessary changes, because this isn’t acceptable.”
— Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres Forward
Buffalo Sabres fans, brace yourselves: change is coming. After yet another brutal defeat — a 5-2 loss to Utah followed by a 6-2 drubbing by the Colorado Avalanche — it’s clear that this team is nowhere near the contender they were supposed to be this season. And for fans who’ve waited 14 years for a playoff spot, the latest string of losses is a hard pill to swallow. With Buffalo’s record now at a dismal
Sabres in Crisis Mode: A Season on the Brink
The loss to the Avalanche capped off a disastrous five-game losing streak, with
The truth is, the Sabres have been in this situation for far too long. The fans are fed up, and even the players are starting to admit what’s been painfully obvious:
The End of the Line for Adams and Ruff?
At this point, there is no denying that accountability must fall on both
As Tuch stated, “There’s no excuse for where we are right now.” The Sabres have been left behind in a rapidly advancing NHL, and with another playoff-less season on the horizon, it’s time for ownership to act.
The Roster Shake-Up: Who’s Safe and Who’s Not?
But it’s not just the front office and coaching staff that needs to change. With this current Sabres team showing no signs of getting it together, nearly
The Sabres need to shed their past — and that means moving out players who aren’t contributing to the rebuild. It’s a painful reality, but every player needs to be held accountable
for this team’s continued failure. It’s no longer about potential or promises — it’s about delivering results, and if you’re not part of the solution, you’ll be part of the problem.
Buffalo’s Road to Redemption: How to Fix the Sabres?
So, what now for Buffalo? The road to redemption starts with tough decisions. Kevyn Adams will need to make bold moves to reshape the roster, bringing in fresh talent to bolster the lineup. The Sabres’ defense needs a complete overhaul, and the goaltending situation is looking more desperate by the day. The team can no longer afford to let mediocrity slip by — it’s time to build a
This won’t be an easy fix, but with the right moves, Buffalo could finally start to dig itself out of this hole. The fans deserve a competitive team, and the Sabres owe it to themselves to deliver.
Can the Sabres Turn It Around?
There’s no sugar-coating it — the Sabres’ current path is not sustainable. Another year of misery for Buffalo fans will simply not do. As the Sabres face the harsh reality of their worst season in recent memory, one thing is clear:
The time for change is now — and for the first time in years, it feels like the Sabres have no choice but to start fresh.