Confirmed with Link: Nichushkin back in assistance program; suspended a minimum of six months

[Bender]

This myth that the Avs can't win without Nuke is a joke.

Any team that loses a very good top-6 forward would be in trouble but it's especially tough when you have no one viable to try and replace him and have to rely on a 39 year old like Parise.

If they had been even only half-decent at drafting then maybe you'd have 1 or 2 guys -not quite ready but getting there- in the AHL to lean on...not frikkin Joel kiviranta!

There are 2 of these guys currently probably available -> Nick Robertson and Jonatan Berggren. Not perfect players by any means but guys who can probably help production-wise if you have some key injuries - not frikkin' Foudy and not Olausson.

 

[henchman21]

Yeah the primary issue of not being able to 'survive' losing Nuke is the lack of quality depth... which stems from the really poor drafting. The Avs have to patch that up with trades and signings, which just takes from different areas.

I do agree that the Avs are a good bit, if not significantly, worse without Nuke in the lineup. The problem with the whole thing is Nuke is taking himself off the ice with his addiction.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

This myth that the Avs can't win without Nuke is a joke.

Any team that loses a very good top-6 forward would be in trouble but it's especially tough when you have no one viable to try and replace him and have to rely on a 39 year old like Parise.

If they had been even only half-decent at drafting then maybe you'd have 1 or 2 guys -not quite ready but getting there- in the AHL to lean on...not frikkin Joel kiviranta!

There are 2 of these guys currently probably available -> Nick Robertson and Jonatan Berggren. Not perfect players by any means but guys who can probably help production-wise if you have some key injuries - not frikkin' Foudy and not Olausson.

I have said my 2 cents on this in the past. It is not that they can't win without Nuke but more that they can't win without both Nuke AND Landy out of the lineup at the same time. They need at least one of those two in the lineup. Without both of them the top-6 become weak defensively, weak in winning battles in the corner, weak in cycling the puck and especially weak in front of the net in both areas of screening the goalie on shots and tipping shots. They don't have anybody in the system that can bring those skills/qualities to fill in. Obviously it is very hard to have one player in the system/lower lines that can fill all those gaps in the top-6. The player doesn't need to fill all the gaps but you need somebody to fill most of them. The Avs don't have that anywhere in their system currently.

 

[dahrougem2]

Look at the record with vs without him. He is needed.

Still, though. F*** Val Nichushkin.

 

[Balthazar]

Look at the record with vs without him. He is needed.

He's needed because when he isn't there he's still on the payroll and they haven't replaced him nor use that money on better depth.

He's at best the 4th best player on the team and no team in history absolutely needed their 4th best player to win.

 

[Gumballhead]

Except this one.

 

[Balthazar]

Except this one.

Including this one.

 

[Vaslof]

Look at the record with vs without him. He is needed.

Still, though. F*** Val Nichushkin.

Record doesn't mean much when your sample size is so small.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

Record doesn't mean much when your sample size is so small.

Is it really a small sample size? I'm pretty sure it's at least a full season at this point.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Record doesn't mean much when your sample size is so small.

It's really not a small sample size anymore. This team is completely different with and without Nuke in the lineup.

I'd also make the argument there isn't a single player in the NHL making Nuke's salary that could be acquired and provide the same value he does. So, no, it's not as simple as replace Nuke with another $6.125m AAV player and get the same output. Nuke, when in the lineup, is more like an $8m-$10m player. Let's be real.

 

[henchman21]

It's really not a small sample size anymore. This team is completely different with and without Nuke in the lineup.

I'd also make the argument there isn't a single player in the NHL making Nuke's salary that could be acquired and provide the same value he does. So, no, it's not as simple as replace Nuke with another $6.125m AAV player and get the same output. Nuke, when in the lineup, is more like an $8m-$10m player. Let's be real.

On the flip side... actually having a player available for the whole playoffs would be nice! Even if they are only half the player of Nuke.

One thing I think people forget is the next time Nuke gets popped, it hurts two different seasons and unless he agrees to just go away... there isn't much that the Avs can do when that happens until his reinstatement is decided upon.

 

[The Moops]

Took my Nuke jersey to Goodwill yesterday. Time to buy a Lehky one

 

[RoyIsALegend]

On the flip side... actually having a player available for the whole playoffs would be nice! Even if they are only half the player of Nuke.

One thing I think people forget is the next time Nuke gets popped, it hurts two different seasons and unless he agrees to just go away... there isn't much that the Avs can do when that happens until his reinstatement is decided upon.

The reality is that, with our rapidly closing window, we are completely at the mercy of hoping Nuke stays clean. We can't get anybody with that type of impact and value at his AAV, I'm adamant of that.

This is what contenders on closing windows do; hope and pray.

 

[Ararana]

Took my Nuke jersey to Goodwill yesterday. Time to buy a Lehky one

Incoming Lehkonen disaster.

 

[Balthazar]

This is the same logic as the wife that hopes she won't get beat up a 3rd time because he's the best husband ever when he's sober. The bad with Nuke outweighs the good by a huge margin. It's not even close.

f*** that bullshit.

 

[henchman21]

The reality is that, with our rapidly closing window, we are completely at the mercy of hoping Nuke stays clean. We can't get anybody with that type of impact and value at his AAV, I'm adamant of that.

This is what contenders on closing windows do; hope and pray.

There are hopes and prayers... and there is this. Does anybody really expect that Nuke can make it multiple years without a positive test?

I agree the Avs are a lot better with Nuke, and would have a better chance with him clean and playing. I also think most of us can agree that Nuke is likely to get popped at some point and the Avs will not only be without Nuke... but also unable to utilize that cap space for any player. Even if a $5m player isn't Nuke, that player is likely much better than OO, Foudy, Wagner.

 

[The Moops]

There are hopes and prayers... and there is this. Does anybody really expect that Nuke can make it multiple years without a positive test?

Is there a clock that resets when he tests clean for X long?

 

[henchman21]

Is there a clock that resets when he tests clean for X long?

There is nothing concrete out there publicly on it. My understand is that there is... but depends on the breadth of the issue. Where we're looking at a year suspension this next time, I'd be shocked if we weren't talking in the years.

 

[dahrougem2]

He's needed because when he isn't there he's still on the payroll and they haven't replaced him nor use that money on better depth.

He's at best the 4th best player on the team and no team in history absolutely needed their 4th best player to win.

You're nuts. Go back and look at Stanley Cup Champions and tell me if their 4th best player not being there would have allowed them to win.

Record doesn't mean much when your sample size is so small.

Avs record the last two seasons with Val Nichushkin: 74-33-10 -- .675 points %

Avs record the last two seasons without Val Nichushkin: 27-26-4 -- .508 points %

Yeah, he's kind of a big deal.

 

[AVSfan2daMAX]

It may be optimistic that he keeps his nose clean this time, but there's no real other solution than to live and die with Val.

He was probably the Avs 2nd best player last season on a team that had the Hart and Lindsay winner. His value cannot be understated.

 

[henchman21]

You're nuts. Go back and look at Stanley Cup Champions and tell me if their 4th best player not being there would have allowed them to win.

Avs record the last two seasons with Val Nichushkin: 74-33-10 -- .675 points %

Avs record the last two seasons without Val Nichushkin: 27-26-4 -- .508 points %

Yeah, he's kind of a big deal.

Nuke is clearly an important part of the team, but the with/without Nuke isn't the debate. It is with Nuke and without Nuke plus ~5m replacement winger.

 

[dahrougem2]

Nuke is clearly an important part of the team, but the with/without Nuke isn't the debate. It is with Nuke and without Nuke plus ~5m replacement winger.

Sure, but that's not even remotely realistic at this point in time.

 

[Balthazar]

Sure, but that's not even remotely realistic at this point in time.

This is to illustrate that it's not Nuke, the player, but the 6.125M of cap space that is needed to win.

If that franchise can't win without Nuke they might as well pull the plug now and sell.

 

[henchman21]

Sure, but that's not even remotely realistic at this point in time.

If Nuke finds his way off the team prior to the deadline... either through trade, getting popped again, termination, etc... that's the exact situation we'll be looking at for this season. If he's off the team period, that's what the Avs will be looking at. Not simply with or without Nuke.

 

[dahrougem2]

This is to illustrate that it's not Nuke, the player, but the 6.125M of cap space that is needed to win.

If that franchise can't win without Nuke they might as well pull the plug now and sell.

That cap space could be used on a great winger. Or it could be Miles Wood and Ross Colton.

You are discrediting how good Nichushkin is.

If Nuke finds his way off the team prior to the deadline... either through trade, getting popped again, termination, etc... that's the exact situation we'll be looking at for this season. If he's off the team period, that's what the Avs will be looking at. Not simply with or without Nuke.

He's not getting traded, we know that isn't realistic given his issues and the Avs looking at accepting pennies for his services. Termination would have happened by now if the Avs wanted to go that route.

The only chance of this magical cap space is if he gets popped again and his cap hit disappears. Definitely a strong possibility but at that point the Avs are looking at trades not UFA signings to replace him.