The Avs don’t win their last Stanley Cup without him. The Avs did not win the next two Cups because of him.
Valeri Nichushkin leaves a decorated and complicated legacy in Colorado.
There were long stretches, including during the last championship run, where he was one of the best two-way wingers in the NHL. And there were two moments off the ice where his conduct sabotaged postseason chances. He left the team during the first round of the 2023 playoffs against the Seattle Kraken under troubling circumstances and was suspended hours before Game 4 of the Dallas Stars series the following spring.
Open arms lead to broken hearts, but the Avs welcomed Nichushkin back, knowing a third violation could result in a lifetime ban. And the record when Nichushkin played remained remarkable.
But give Joe Sakic, the old, new GM, credit for recognizing that Nichushkin was trending in the wrong direction.
He faded last season. No, he was not the reason the Golden Knights broomed the Avs in the Western Conference Finals — that list starts with Nathan MacKinnon, Jared Bednar, and Brock Nelson — but he was no longer a menace in front of the net or along the boards.
By trading Nichushkin to Columbus for three draft picks, Sakic acknowledged the obvious — something of a surprise given the confidence he showed in the team at the end-of-the-season presser.
The Avs could not just run it back. What happened in Vegas needed to stay in Vegas.
Sakic shipped out Ross Colton and Jack Drury to buddy Chris MacFarland in Nashville, and sent Nichushkin packing.
There is no guarantee it works, but the moves served two purposes. It creates nearly $11 million in salary cap space to add a piece — perhaps they pursue Mario Ferraro — or use the draft picks to execute a midseason blockbuster.
This is what good leadership looks like. While I still disagree with Sakic’s reasoning for keeping Bednar, he is not afraid to be bold. He let MacFarland operate in this fashion and has continued the tradition.
The Avs need to get younger, even as they cross their white-knuckled fingers that the playoff version of Nelson and Nazem Kadri is not a harbinger of things to come.
It can be argued that Nichushkin is a better player than the Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon. And while the local hoops franchise frets about Gordon’s future, Sakic ripped off the band-aid with Nichushkin.
Did he get enough in second, third and fifth-round picks? Probably not. But if it allows the Avs to add a young impact player in the coming weeks or months, then it works.
There is a reason Trader Joe is buying the groceries again. He knows what he is doing.
WNBA Clark Mess
The WNBA was gifted its Tiger Woods with the arrival of Caitlin Clark. And the league has spent the last three years trying to prove that it doesn’t need her. The pettiness and jealousy are stunning. The lack of leadership from commissioner Cathy Engelbert is embarrassing. We can all agree that Clark is not better than some of her predecessors. But none moved the needle like her. The TV ratings, increased salaries and better travel scream as much. Yet, the league continues to let opponents bully and foul her in ways that are unspeakably bad. Does Clark beg for calls? Yes. That does not mean refs should turn a blind eye to Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas placing her fist on Clark’s throat in a pile-up. If the league wanted to send a message, Thomas would have been suspended for 10 games without pay, not one. The light discipline means that when it comes to Clark, it remains open season.
World Cup break
The hydration break has created an H2OhMy! effect on the World Cup. It helps that the United States won its pool. But it goes beyond that. There is actual scoring, the most since 1958. The more goals, the more exciting it becomes for fringe fans. It is unclear whether this World Cup will be a transformational moment for soccer in the United States, but the style of play makes that outcome seem more realistic.
