Valeri Nichushkin's return to the Avalanche lineup ends in disappointment

Nichushkin left the team's most recent game against the Anaheim Ducks early with a lower-body injury; head coach Jared Bednar confirmed the injury and said the winger would need time to recover.

He had been a major offensive contributor this season, with five goals and a total of 12 points in 17 games before the injury, the Avs clearly felt his absence when the ice rolled again without him.

The plan seemed to be for Nichushkin to re-enter the lineup when Colorado faced Montreal. But when the day came, he remained off the ice as the team held practices without him. No fresh timetable was provided, leaving his status unclear.

This isn't the first time Nichushkin has faced recovery setbacks. Earlier in the season he was sidelined with another lower-body injury and went "week-to-week," forcing the Avs to shuffle their lines and hope chemistry would hold.

The club's reliance on him, especially on power play time and net-front positioning, makes each absence magnify.

Fans were understandably disappointed. For a player with his size, scoring touch, and two-way value, having him available against a tough opponent like Montreal felt like a no-brainer. Not seeing his name on the lineup stirred frustration about depth and timing. When you lose a forward like Nichushkin, you don't just lose goals, you lose the subtle battles in the corners and traffic in front of the net too.

For now the Avalanche seem resigned to wait. There's no guarantee of when he'll re-join the lineup. Meanwhile, Colorado will need someone to live up to the lost minutes and secondary scoring until "Chu Chu" is back doing what he does best.