Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended without pay for a minimum of six months after he was placed in the NHL/NHL Players' Association player assistance program, the league said Monday, just hours before Colorado lost 5-1 to Dallas.

Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in stage 3 of the league's player assistance program before Game 4 on Monday night of a second-round series with Dallas.

The nameplate above the locker for Valeri Nichushkin has already been removed at the Colorado Avalanche's practice facility. For a second consecutive year, the Avalanche are on the brink of elimination from the playoffs with Nichushkin,