Deen’s Daily: Nichushkin Slated To Return on Nov. 15; Oilers, Preds Blanked

Another Avalanche practice and another day of newsworthy content as it pertains to their roster.

In yesterday’s Daily, I speculated the idea that a Valeri Nichushkin announcement would come ahead of the 11 am Monday morning practice. It just felt like things were heading in that direction and it ended up being spot on. About 90 minutes before the team took the ice, they announced that Nichushkin, while still in Stage 3 of the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, was cleared to practice with the team. Suddenly practice became a must-watch.

Read More: How Valeri Nichushkin’s First Practice Back With the Avalanche Went

Nichushkin skated on the bottom line, taking shifts with Nikita Prishchepov, T.J. Tynan, and Chris Wagner. Perhaps the biggest news came afterward, when head coach Jared Bednar announced, then doubled down that Nichushkin will make his season debut on Nov. 15 when the Avs host the Washington Capitals. What a welcoming addition that’s going to be.

Do the Avalanche’s Struggles Make It Easier to Welcome Him Back? It sure sounds like it. At least from his teammates.

“We need him obviously. I don’t want to go into the past, what has happened before,” Mikko Rantanen said. “We need him in the lineup. He’s a big part of the team.”

Rantanen also welcomed another important teammate on Monday. Artturi Lehkonen, who was recently activated off the injury reserve, skated on the top line and took full contact alongside center Nathan MacKinnon and Rantanen. Already, the trickle-down effect of just that one player has changed the outlook of the Avs’ lineup in a good way. Lehkonen is making his season debut against the Seattle Kraken tonight.

Only Lehkonen is back, and already this lineup looks way better. https://t.co/2lvLOqSfho

— Aarif Deen (@runwriteAarif) November 4, 2024

The final piece of what would be the top six, Jonathan Drouin, again skated in a non-contact sweater. His return date is not yet known, but it could potentially come any day now. My goodness, what a refreshing change it would be for the Avs to have all of these guys back playing at once.

Around The NHL

NJ Hockey Now: Heading into the second month of the regular season, Devils goalie Jake Allen and Senators goalie Anton Forsberg are tied for the league lead in shutouts with two. Allen helped the Devils blank the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 on Monday. The only other game in the NHL was another 3-0 shutout. The L.A. Kings defeated the Nashville Predators thanks to Darcy Kuemper’s perfect game.

Boston Hockey Now: The Bruins added a center on Monday, signing an unrestricted free agent who attended their training camp on a PTO.

San Jose Hockey Now: Lehkonen isn’t the only big name making his return on Tuesday. The Sharks are welcoming back a crucial piece of their roster, too.