Bold claim: Nichushkin’s return could transform Colorado’s already-dangerous top six, potentially making this the Avs’ most potent forward unit in years. And this is the part most people miss: his comeback isn’t just adding a scorer, it reintroduces a pivotal two-way presence that flavors every shift.
Valeri Nichushkin is back in the Avalanche lineup on Tuesday to face the Vancouver Canucks, returning after an eight-game absence with a lower-body injury. In his 17 games this season, he’s tallied five goals and 12 points, and his return slots him into a top-six group that feels notably more threatening than the unit Colorado had while he was sidelined three weeks ago.
The expectation is for Nichushkin to rejoin the second-line duo that opened the season, pairing with captain Gabe Landeskog and center Brock Nelson. Earlier in the season, both Landeskog and Nelson had slowed offensively, which led to Ross Colton stepping up to the second line in place of Nichushkin. Since Nichushkin’s injury, however, Landeskog and Nelson have found their stride: Landeskog has four goals and eight points over his last nine games, while Nelson has five goals and 11 points in that same stretch, a stretch that kicked off the night Nichushkin went down.
Could this finally be the high-end, balanced second line Colorado has been seeking? Nichushkin brings size, skill, and comprehensive two-way play that could elevate the entire top six and perhaps deliver the team’s best grouping in several seasons.
In goal, Scott Wedgewood gets the start as he looks to rebound from a shootout defeat in Minnesota. After this game, Colorado hits the road for four straight, including a back-to-back over the weekend. Both Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood will be needed to cover that heavy road stretch.
On the Vancouver side, the Canucks have faced struggles across most facets of their game. Under first-year coach Adam Foote, they sit outside the playoff picture and have yet to stabilize defensively. They rank around the middle of the pack in goals scored, but they've allowed 95 goals—the worst in the NHL tied with the Edmonton Oilers for most allowed.
Kevin Lankinen is anticipated to start in goal for Vancouver.
