Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin out day-to-day with lower-body injury

The Colorado Avalanche will be without its leading scorer for a few days.

Valeri Nichushkin will miss Friday’s game against the New Jersey Devils with a lower-body injury, coach Jared Bednar told the media after morning skate.

Nichushkin is tied for fourth in league scoring with 12 points, with his seven goals sitting second behind Connor McDavid.

Nichushkin was a massive piece of Colorado’s Stanley Cup run in 2022, scoring nine goals and 15 points in 20 games in a top-six role. It was a big season for Nichushkin, who hit the 50-point mark for the first time in his career after three years after getting bought out by the Dallas Stars.

The 27-year-old winger seemed to have found another gear with the Avs, lining up beside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen on the top line out of the gate. Nichushkin is in the first year of an eight-year deal that will pay him $6.125 million per season.

Martin Kaut will be Nichushkin’s replacement until he returns. Kaut has played four games for the Avalanche, averaging just 7:06 of ice time. He also has three points in two AHL games with the Colorado Eagles this season. This will be a big opportunity for the 23-year-old, who, after getting selected in the first round in 2018, has struggled to remain a full-time presence in the lineup.