DENVER (AP) — The return of suspended Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin to practice Monday was sudden enough that teammate Mikko Rantanen did a little double-take when he spotted him on the ice.
Rantanen recovered with an ice breaker.
“Threw a little joke to him, like, ‘It’s good to see you, Val,’” Rantanen recounted. “I didn’t even know he was skating with the team today until I saw him on the ice. ... I was excited to see him there."
For now, it's practice only for Nichushkin, who remains in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and ineligible to play in games. Although his suspension is slated to last until at least mid-November, coach Jared Bednar is hopeful Nichushkin can be back in the lineup on Nov. 15.
Nichushkin's return would bolster a team that’s already thin at forward this season due to a rash of injuries. But it's starting to turn around, with Artturi Lehkonen activated from injured reserve over the weekend and expected to make his season debut Tuesday against Seattle. He's been been sidelined since undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.
“Need all the help we can get,” explained Bednar, who received news a few days ago that Nichushkin could return to practice. “Every guy we get back in, things start to shape up a little bit the way we want them to look.”
The banged-up Avalanche remain without forward captain Gabriel Landeskog (knee), Ross Colton (broken foot), Jonathan Drouin (upper body) and Miles Wood, who was placed on injured reserve Monday with an upper body injury. Drouin skated in a red, noncontact sweater Monday.
“A big boost,” defenseman Cale Makar said of teammates starting to return. “I mean, obviously, they play big roles for us.”
Makar said the team has taken a welcoming approach with Nichushkin.
Nichushkin was unavailable for a second straight postseason last May because of circumstances away from the ice. The league and the players’ association announced his suspension an hour before the start of the Avalanche’s 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on May 13 during a second-round series Colorado would lose.
The 29-year-old Russian right winger also abruptly left the team in a 2023 first-round playoff series against Seattle for what was described as personal reasons. He missed the final five games of that postseason as the Avalanche lost the series 4-3.
“I don’t think there’s anything that really needs to be said,” Makar said. “I think Val is one of those guys he’s going to put the work in, and you’ve got to trust that. If he wants to lean on us, we can always help him.
“It’s awesome to see him back. It’s awesome see him around the rink smiling and having fun and just being back on the ice with the guys.”
Nichushkin is under contract through the 2029-30 season after signing an eight-year, $49 million contract with the team in 2022. He had a career-best 28 goals last year in 54 regular-season games.
“We need him, obviously. I don’t want to go through the past at all, what has happened before, but we need him in the lineup,” Rantanen said. "He's a big part of our team, really good player, and he’s going to help us win games. So that’s why we’re excited to have him back, because all we care about is winning games.”
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FILE - Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin celebrates his goal during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Feb. 4, 2020, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Mike McCarthy slammed a tablet. That was after the Dallas Cowboys coach already had reacted angrily to his failed fourth-down play call.
Dak Prescott grimaced badly on a throw when something the quarterback said he'd never felt before ended up being a hamstring injury that will sideline him at least one game, while All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb tossed a towel over his face to try to deal with the pain in a shoulder that hit the turf hard twice.
A season that already was turning south might have headed that way for good in a 27-21 loss to Atlanta, the first of four consecutive games for the Cowboys (3-5) against teams with winning records.
Prescott's backup, Cooper Rush, is set to start Sunday when the defending NFC East champions play division rival Philadelphia (6-2) at home. It's possible Prescott will miss multiple games.
Minus the coronavirus pandemic, it's beginning to look a lot like 2020, a lost season marred by injuries and myriad other issues in McCarthy's Dallas debut.
The difference is McCarthy isn't under contract beyond this year, which leaves owner and general manager Jerry Jones at a midseason crossroads with the trade deadline looming Tuesday.
Jones addressed players, coaches and staff in the locker room after the loss to the Falcons, trying to deliver a message that he believes the team can turn things around.
“I really don't want to get into that because it was a very emotional message,” Jones said when asked by reporters outside the locker room what he said. “We all know we've got to play better than we've played tonight or we're not going anywhere.”
Jones backed his coach again, too.
“I'm good with Mike,” Jones said. “I know how hard he works. I like his football mind. He's really good with players. He's got a lot of fire in his belly. And so I'm just giving you this: I like the positives I see.”
McCarthy said injured reserve was a consideration for Prescott, who was lost to a broken ankle in Week 5 in 2020, when the Cowboys finished 6-10. Dallas' current three-game losing streak is the first since that season. An IR move would sideline Prescott for at least four games.
Jones and McCarthy were optimistic Lamb would play against the Eagles despite a right shoulder sprain. Despite clearly being in pain, Lamb returned to the Atlanta game.
Regardless of who's in the lineup, the Cowboys face a long road to try to extend their three-year playoff run. They already have matched the number of losses from each of those three regular seasons.
“Sometimes in this league, it just takes one,” said Prescott, who left the Atlanta game early in the fourth quarter. “It takes one to get it going, to get that confidence back, to feel good and rally from there. I’m not looking too far ahead.”
One of the few positives for the Cowboys is actually something of an indictment. Their best offensive player has been kicker Brandon Aubrey, who has followed a record-setting rookie season with the second-longest field goal in NFL history at 65 yards, which came in Week 3 against Baltimore. He is 19 of 20 from at least 50 yards in two seasons.
There are so many problems that it's more a question of what doesn't need help. But the starting point is Dallas needs star pass rusher Micah Parsons (ankle) and All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) back soon.
The Cowboys have had difficulty getting pressure on opposing QBs without Parsons and defensive DeMarcus Lawrence. Both were injured in a victory at the New York Giants in Week 4. Lawrence is on injured reserve with a foot injury.
The secondary has looked lost at times and could use an emotional boost from Bland, who set an NFL record by returning five interceptions for touchdowns last season. The frustration boiled over when 2021 All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs lost his cool with a television reporter after losing to San Francisco.
Rico Dowdle looked good against the Falcons in the first game in which the Cowboys abandoned their committee approach behind Prescott. Dowdle got 12 of the 14 carries by running backs and had 75 yards rushing.
Dowdle's day raises questions about Ezekiel Elliott's future. Elliott stayed home for disciplinary reasons, and Jones said the issue was being late for meetings. Elliott rejoined the Cowboys after a year in New England. Dallas dumped its former two-time rushing champ in a cost-cutting move after the 2022 season.
Dallas keeps talking about communication problems, which just seem to get worse. Even after a timeout, Diggs wasn't sure where to line up and got beat for a long touchdown against the Falcons. The Cowboys wanted to go for it on fourth-and-1 in the second half but had 12 men in the huddle. They had to punt.
Beyond the questions around Prescott, Lamb, Parsons and Bland, the Cowboys are hoping WR Brandin Cooks can return from injured reserve soon. He's been out with a knee issue. It will be a longer absence for Lawrence and rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, a second-round pick who injured a knee in Week 5 at Pittsburgh.
3.8 — The air yards per attempt for Prescott against the Falcons, a career low by more than half a yard. It's a stark illustration of how the Cowboys don't trust a mostly young and badly underperforming offensive line to protect the quarterback.
The Cowboys already are three games behind Washington and Philadelphia in the loss column in the NFC East. They like to look at the bright side of having both games against the Commanders and Eagles remaining.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Guyton talks on the bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) celebrates a touchdown reception against Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) reads a tablet on the bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 27-21. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 27-21. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)
