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.