I have a long and sordid family history of addiction in my family, it ultimately killed my great grandfather (and indirectly played a part in my great grandmother's death), nearly killed my grandfather, and also led to another family member's death less than ten years ago. Luckily my father, who said he came damn close, avoided the descent into alcoholism that claimed his father, mother, and grandfather, and my grandmother sobered up after my grandfather died and lived her remaining years happy and healthy. I know for sure I have the gene for it in me, and it scares me to no end that my two daughters likely have it as well. It got me into trouble in my early twenties but that little brush with the law scared me mostly straight since. I actually learned a lot in those court-ordered classes.
Anyway, I'm not going to pretend to be an expert in addiction, I just know it's a very slippery slope and once it grabs a hold, it's so very hard to wriggle free of it, and VERY hard to stay free once you do. I'm sad that Nichushkin was unable to avoid it and now must pay the price (along with the rest of the Avalanche) but I also don't believe that this frees one from all accountability. I'm not gonna lie, I'm empathetic and feel conflicted, but I'm also just flat-out pissed. Two years in a f***ing row he's pulled this shit. And at the worst possible time.
I hope for his own sake that he stays free from whatever this is, gets the help he needs, and lives as healthy and long a life as he can, with or without hockey. That said...I hope he continues his career elsewhere. I'm done. I'm guessing the Avs are as well, though it won't be easy come November when it's time to make some hard choices.