As we near the NHL Draft this weekend, reports are picking up about whether the Colorado Avalanche are moving Valeri Nichushkin. Colorado has very little in the way of signing players at the NHL level. Jack Drury will be the biggest name that they will have to take care of this offseason. Otherwise, the Avs will have to fill the ranks for the Colorado Eagles.

Where one rumor started

Reports surfaced on Monday morning from insider Elliotte Friedman on his podcast 32 Thoughts.

“Colorado is looking for some flexibility, I think,” Friedman said. “His name is out there. We’ll see.”

It would make some sense, as the Avs are trying to clear up some cap space to re-sign Drury and Cale Makar next season. Nichushkin comes in at $6.125 million cap hit and is halfway through his eight-year contract. The Russian will have a 12-team no-trade list this season, leaving most of the league to work with.

Benefit of moving Nichushkin

An enormous benefit to moving Nichushkin other than cap space could be draft capital. The Avalanche could very well get a couple of picks in return for Nichushkin. He put up his third-best season in the NHL with 49 points over 72 games (and a faltering power play). On other teams, Nichushkin could be a top-three or top-six winger, fetching a second-round and a third-round pick in return.

Possible trouble with moving Nichushkin

There could be some issues trying to move Nichushkin from Colorado. Other than his already mentioned no-trade list, his troubled past could come back to haunt him. In 2023 Nichushkin missed part of the playoffs after a woman was found in his hotel room. In May 2024, the NHL suspended him for six months without pay as he entered Stage 3 of its Player Assistance Program. This could make a team very hesitant to take on a player one step away from a one-year suspension. It may even lower his trade value a little.

Colorado may have trouble in moving Nichushkin, but the greater problem will be in replacing him. He has produced 34-53 points over the last three seasons. He is a menace to the opposing offense with his forecheck, never giving up on the play. These aspects alone could be worth keeping Nichushkin for.