Avalanche get mixed bag of news when it comes to Nichushkin and Girard

The Colorado Avalanche had good and bad injury news on Thursday.

On the bright side, defenseman Samuel Girard will return to Colorado’s lineup when they take on the Buffalo Sabres. Girard has played in only two games this season, battling an upper-body injury that has kept him out the last month.

It’ll be good to have the veteran back in the lineup, but meanwhile the Avalanche will be missing another key player.

Valeri Nichushkin is going to be out — and not just against the Sabres. Head coach Jared Bednar provided an update on his status after morning skate. Nichushkin was injured against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday at Ball Arena.

Valeri Nichushkin is week-to-week, per Bednar. No real timeline right now, though, but "nothing too serious" he says.

— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) November 13, 2025

It’s nice to hear that it’s not too serious for Nichushkin, but the Avalanche will do some shuffling. Bednar added the Gavin Brindley, fresh off his contract extension, will move into a role on the second-line.

Colorado is hot, posting an 11-1-5 record thus far, good for 27 points which is the most in the NHL.

Overall, it’s great to welcome back Girard while the Avs will miss Nichushkin for an undisclosed amount of time. If Brindley is up to the task of filling his role remains to be seen, but it’s also still November.

There’s a lot of season left — and guys are going to be in and out of the lineup.

Related

Cale Makar voted NHL’s best defenseman a fifth year in a rowAvalanche name new head coach for AHL affiliate EaglesFive most important Avalanche games during the 2026-27 seasonNHL drops schedule for 2026-27 Avalanche seasonFirst Avalanche game of 2026-27 season announced, it’s in SeptemberAvs make three more depth signings, including forward with 477 NHL games