Jonathan Drouin returned to play in Monday night’s game against Dallas for the Colorado Avalanche, aiming to help with scoring after Valeri Nichushkin’s suspension.
Drouin had one assist in over 19 minutes of play during the 5-1 loss to the Stars in Game 4, where the Avalanche faced elimination in the second-round series.
He had been out since the regular-season finale due to a lower-body injury. Drouin had his best season yet with career-high points (56) and assists (37) in his first year with the Avalanche.
Before the game, the NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced Nichushkin’s suspension. He was suspended without pay for at least six months and placed in stage 3 of the league’s player assistance program. This is Nichushkin’s second time in the program this season.
“We’re missing a great player,” Drouin said about Nichushkin. “He’s big, strong, and has been excellent in the playoffs this year. Every player needs to step up, not just one guy, but it’s going to take a team effort.”
The Avalanche are behind 3-1 as they head to Dallas for Game 5 on Wednesday night. Devon Toews, a defenseman for the Avalanche, couldn’t play on Monday due to illness.
“We expected both Nichushkin and Toews to play, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way,” said defenseman Cale Makar. “But we have a strong team. Drouin is back, so there’s confidence in the locker room. We need to start better.”
Drouin got injured when he tripped during a game against Edmonton on April 18. He watched as Colorado won in the first round against Winnipeg and as the Stars won two of the first three games in the second-round series.
“Missing almost a month and then coming back in the second round of playoffs, some shifts were challenging,” said Drouin. “But, it was enjoyable to play and reconnect with the team.”
