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.
Buffalo, New York – November 12, 2025
Just hours after the Buffalo Bills’ loss to the Miami Dolphins, the criticism toward Josh Allen erupted across social media, talk shows, and national sports networks. But in the midst of that storm, an unexpected voice rose to defend him — Rob Gronkowski, NFL legend and a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan despite never playing for the franchise.
Gronkowski, who grew up near Buffalo, has always had a deep attachment to the team. So when he stepped forward to defend Josh Allen at one of the most difficult moments of the quarterback’s career, the entire Bills community took notice.
According to multiple sources inside the organization, Allen has been dealing with mental fatigue, emotional strain, and lingering physical issues, yet he has refused to use any of them as an excuse. He continues to lead, continues to take responsibility, and continues to fight — even as the weight on his shoulders grows heavier each week.
In a statement that instantly ignited social media, Gronkowski delivered a powerful message:
“What’s happening to Josh Allen is an injustice to football — a blatant betrayal of everything this sport is supposed to stand for. How can people be so cruel? Criticizing a man who has carried his team with his whole heart, who goes out there every week in pain, gives everything he has, never asks for applause, never points fingers — he just keeps fighting.”
Those words swept through the Bills community within minutes, sparking intense reactions. Many fans acknowledged that Allen has been treated far too harshly, especially during a stretch where the entire team has struggled with injuries, depth issues, and mounting pressure.
Allen’s teammates echoed the sentiment, describing him as the same relentless leader he has always been — the first to arrive, the last to leave, the one who lifts everyone else up even when he himself is hurting.
To Gronkowski, that is the core of the issue:
Josh Allen is not the problem in Buffalo. He remains the heart of the franchise, even if that heart is bruised from carrying so much weight for so long.
Gronk called on Bills Mafia to stand together — and to stand with Allen:
This is not the time for blame. This is the time for loyalty.
Because as Gronkowski emphasized,