Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche are saying all the right things about Valeri Nichushkin

Published

4 months ago

September 23, 2024

The Colorado Avalanche are saying all the right things about Valeri Nichushkin

Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar and superstar center Nathan MacKinnon have said all the right things regarding Valeri Nichushkin’s return to the lineup.

Earlier this week, both Bednar and MacKinnon were gentlemanly when referring to Nichushkin’s potential return this season. In particular, Bednar and MacKinnon stated they would welcome Nichushkin with “open arms.”

Now, let’s be clear for a moment. Neither Bednar nor MacKinnon are being hypocritical about the situation. They’re behaving like gentlemen, showing genuine interest in welcoming Nichushkin back into the fold.

In fact, I’d say the situation is more like water under the bridge. Judging from Bednar and MacKinnon’s reactions, there doesn’t appear to be any hard feelings.

Of course, there may be trust issues involved on both sides. After all, the entire Nichushkin case has been quite sensitive. Nevertheless, it appears the Colorado Avalanche are willing to give Nichushkin a second chance.

In the end, doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance? In Nichushkin’s case, the Avs owe it to him to prove he’s overcome whatever issues may have plagued him in the past. Doing so costs the team nothing, and offers a highly skilled player a shot at contributing to the best of his abilities.

Now, when could the club expect Nichushkin to return?

I can’t say that I know the answer to that question. While Nichushkin is eligible to return in mid-November, he would most likely need time to get readjusted to the game. Since he wouldn’t have the opportunity to skate in training camp, Nichushkin may need some more time before he can hit the ice for the Avs this season.

In the worst-case scenario, it might be several weeks before Nichushkin may be finally ready to hit the ice. If that’s the case, the Avs could expect Nichushkin to be in the lineup around Christmas, perhaps even past the New Year.

There’s only one way to find out. The Colorado Avalanche need to wait for Nichushkin to be ready and ease him back into game action. There’s no sense in rushing him back. If they do, the Avs risk setting Nichushkin up to fail. Needless to say, that’s the last thing on everyone’s minds.

The Colorado Avalanche cannot afford to move on from Valeri Nichushkin

Let’s assume for a moment the Avs decide to move on from Nichushkin. While that could be an alternative, it’s one the club cannot afford to consider. Trading or waiving Nichushkin could prove a costly mistake for Colorado.

If the Avs trade or waive Nichushkin, another team can come and sign him. In that situation, Nichushkin could feel motivated to prove he’s still a star player. That move could easily backfire on Colorado.

Let’s consider the complicated part: The Avs risk losing a talented player, one who could contribute to the club’s success in the second half of the season, for virtually nothing. Meanwhile, another club could reap the benefits of having Nichushkin’s talents on their roster.

Unless the Avs have lost their minds, which hardly seems the case, the best case scenario is to ease Nichushkin back into the lineup. Think about it this way: It’s like getting a trade deadline addition, but without the cost of trading players or draft picks to get him.

Despite the impending cap crunch the team would face, having Nichushkin back into the lineup makes total sense for the Avs. They get a goal scorer who could easily fit into the top six. Moreover, the team gets a motivated player, looking to prove he’s still every bit as valuable as before he was suspended.

Of course, there’s always the risk that Nichushkin doesn’t quite live up to expectations. Unfortunately, that’s a chance the Avs will need to take.

Overall, it would be ludicrous for the Colorado Avalanche to give up on Nichushkin now. Players and coaches have publicly expressed their desire for his return. So, fans can expect one of the league’s most talented players hitting the ice with a little extra juice.

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Colorado

Vote: Who Was The 2024 Colorado Football Player Of The Year?

Published

5 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

Vote: Who Was The 2024 Colorado Football Player Of The Year?

The high school football season is beginning to wrap up across the country and we start to take a closer look at player of the year awards.

But first, we want to let the fans decide on who they believe are the players most deserving before we here at High School On SI start naming the top performers of the 2024 season.

We continue to the West Coast region and to the great state of Colorado and we ask the question: Who was the 2024 Colorado Football Player of the Year?

This list consists of eight worthy candidates and we’re asking for your help as the fan to vote on who you believe had the best season this fall.

Voting will end on January 31st, 2025.

SBLive voting polls are intended to be a fun way to create fan engagement and express support for your favorite high school athletes and teams. Unless expressly noted, there are no awards for winning the voting. Our primary focus is to highlight the abilities and accomplishments of all the athletes and teams included in our poll. You can vote as often as you wish and are encouraged to share our polls with others. The use of voting bots and other forms of automated voting are not allowed. Individuals will be removed from the poll if any form of automated voting can be verified. – SBLive Sports

Here are the nominations:

The 6-foot-5 quarterback had himself one of the top seasons of any quarterback in the state as Modrzewski finished the season completing nearly 74 percent of his passes for 3,407 yards and setting a state record of 57 touchdowns. On the ground, the senior scored four touchdowns and added 228 yards.

Kubat had himself a strong senior campaign for Fossil Ridge as the signal caller completed 238-of-354 passes for 3,013 yards and 36 touchdowns. On the ground he rushed for 423 yards on 69 attempts and found the endzone four times.

The three-year starting quarterback finished out his high school career with a bang. Riehl ended 2024 completing 171-of-256 passes for 2,822 yards, 32 touchdowns and four interceptions. The senior rushed for 594 yards and scored seven touchdowns.

Ishmael was superb as a dual-threat quarterback in his senior season for Frederick, which went 8-4. The signal caller completed 179-of-277 passes for 2,780 yards, 31 touchdowns and only four picks. Also rushed for 697 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.

Just a junior, Womack led the state in rushing with 2,285 yards on 326 carries and scored 30 touchdowns. Also playing defense, Womack made 37 tackles, nine went for a loss and two sacks.

One of the state’s most productive players out of the backfield helped Pueblo Central to nine victories. Brown ended the season rushing for 2,138 yards on 211 carries and scored 23 touchdowns. Also compiled 198 yards and two scores.

Nobody saw more field time possibly than Meisner of Wray. The two-way star finished the season rushing for 1,764 yards on 196 carries and scored 28 touchdowns. Meisner caught nine passes for 218 yards and three scores. On defense, the senior made 130 tackles, 14 for a loss and forced three fumbles.

The state’s top receiving threat at tight end led everyone in receiving yardage. Terch ended 2024 hauling in 58 passes for an eye-popping 1,312 yards and 16 touchdowns. Even played a little defense, adding 31 tackles.

Follow SBLive Colorado throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans, delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories, recruiting coverage, rankings, highlights and much more. The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform, bringing them closer to the action than ever before. For more information, visit si.com/high-school.

To get live updates on your phone – as well as follow your favorite teams and top games – you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

— Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi

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Colorado

Toyota Game Recap: 1/6/2025 | Colorado Avalanche

Published

13 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

Toyota Game Recap: 1/6/2025 | Colorado Avalanche

ColoradoAvalanche.com is the official Web site of the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado Avalanche and ColoradoAvalanche.com are trademarks of Colorado Avalanche, LLC. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2024 Colorado Avalanche Hockey Team, Inc. and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved. NHL Stadium Series name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League.

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Colorado

Dog accidentally poisoned by rat poison found in Colorado yards

Published

21 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Dog accidentally poisoned by rat poison found in Colorado yards – CBS Colorado

Watch CBS News

A Colorado family’s worst nightmare came true in the Tapestry Hills neighborhood of Castle Pines when their dog ate rat poison found in yards and an open space. Neighbors grew concerned that someone might have intentionally poisoned pets, but Douglas County officials say that the poisoning was most likely an accident.