Valeri Nichushkin just needed some patience. After a start to the season that only produced two goals through his first 13 games, Nichushkin has been on a tear for the Colorado Avalanche. He is currently on an eight-game point-scoring streak, racking up eight goals and 12 points over that span.
It was only a matter of time before Nichushkin found his groove, and the Avalanche have been 7-1 during his point streak. He notched a goal and an assist in the lone loss during that stretch – a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Nashville Predators. One of Colorado’s most important scorers over the past two seasons, Nichushkin will be a major factor in getting the Avs back in position to win another Stanley Cup.
Move to Top Line Starts Nichushkin’s Streak
It’s no coincidence that Nichushkin’s hot streak started when he was put back on the top line with powerhouse linemates Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon. Colorado was sputtering from the end of October to the middle of November, going 2-5 over a seven-game stretch where opponents shut out the Avs three times. That dismal patch culminated in the St. Louis Blues embarrassing Colorado 8-2 on Nov. 11. The blowout prompted coach Jared Bednar to shake up his lines.
The move ignited Nichushkin. Once he was reunited with two of the Avs superstars, he scored at least one goal in his next six games. During Nichushkin’s eight-game scoring streak, the Avalanche have outscored their opponents 37-16, with Nichushkin scoring or assisting on almost a third of the goals. The results have been much better across the board. Jonathan Drouin has settled in on the second line, with his offense picking up as well (two goals and an assist in his last five games).
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Nichushkin’s surge is similar to the start he got off to last season. Through the first seven games of the 2022-23 campaign, Nichushkin racked up seven goals and 12 points – registering at least a point in every game. He also scored a goal in six of those contests, and tallied two assists in the game he failed to light the lamp. The only thing that slowed him down was a lower-body injury that knocked him out of action for six weeks. The results show that the Avalanche need him healthy, and Nichushkin looks like he’s playing some of the best hockey of his career.
Scoring Surge Comes at Good Time for Avs
The Avalanche roster is relatively deep, but the uptick in scoring from Nichushkin has been timely. Artturi Lehkonen will miss a few weeks after sustaining an upper-body injury following a nasty collision with the Seattle Kraken’s Jamie Oleksiak on Nov. 9. The loss was a big one for Colorado, as Lehkonen notched three goals and eight points through the team’s first dozen games. However, it did provide Bednar with another nudge to shake up the lines.
With Lehkonen out, Nichushkin popped up to the top line. That led to a second line of Ryan Johansen, Tomas Tatar, and Drouin – who have also picked up their scoring. That trio has seven goals and six assists in the last 10 games. Along with all that help, Nichushkin has been a scoring powerhouse, leading the charge during the team’s current run of success. Colorado is averaging nearly five goals per game in those seven victories in the last eight games.
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The recent success also means that the club likely doesn’t have to rush Lehkonen back from what could be a serious injury. When the 28-year-old Finnish forward returns, the Avs should also have a good handle on some chemistry amongst all of the forward lines. Adding Lehkonen back into the mix will only help the Avs, who now look to be very deep with their forwards. That was the main concern this offseason, and it certainly looks like general manager Chris MacFarland pushed a lot of the right buttons by bringing the likes of Johansen, Ross Colton, and others to Colorado.
Nichushkin on Pace for Best Season Yet
There was a time – before he came to Colorado – that Nichushkin’s NHL career was on thin ice. He had a rocky start from 2013-16 with the Dallas Stars, went to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for two seasons, and then returned to the NHL with Dallas for the 2018-19 campaign. Nichushkin played 57 games that season but didn’t register one goal. After Dallas bought out his contract, Colorado took a flier on the forward the following season.
It took a couple of years, but the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup-winning season in 2021-22 was Nichushkin’s breakout campaign. He scored 25 goals with 27 assists for 52 points and a plus-21 rating. All of those numbers were career highs – and he missed 20 games due to injuries. He added another 47-point season in 53 contests last season, but then missed a good chunk of Colorado’s first-round playoff exit due to off-ice issues.
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As well as he’s played the last two seasons, the 2023-24 campaign could be his best yet – and it might not even be close. Through the first 21 games, he has 10 goals and 10 assists, putting him on pace to obliterate that previous high in points of 52. Nichushkin is also getting plenty of opportunities, as he has five power-play goals and has assisted on a pair of short-handed scores. He’s become an integral part of Colorado’s success – particularly with captain Gabriel Landeskog out for the season. If he can stay healthy, the likes of Rantanen, MacKinnon, and Cale Makar will have some friendly competition atop the team’s scoring leaderboard for the foreseeable future.
