Bowen Byram, Valeri Nichushkin set to return to Colorado Avalanche lineup
Winger Valeri Nichushkin and defenseman Bowen Byram are ready to return to the lineup for the Colorado Avalanche, according to Avs’ head coach Jared Bednar.
Injury updates from Jared Bednar:
•Bowen Byram and Valeri Nichushkin are good to go
•Josh Manson is progressing. No decision yet on if he’ll make the upcoming trip
•Gabriel Landeskog still on track to start skating soon
Both players have missed a significant chunk of time this season, with just 30 games played between the two of them. Byram hasn’t played since the Avs’ Global Series in Finland on November 4th, while Nichushkin has missed the last two games with his current injury. It’s the third time Nichushkin has been out of the lineup for Colorado this season, although he missed a lot more time with the first two injuries than this current one.
When Nichushkin has been healthy, he’s been red hot for the Avalanche. He currently has eight goals, 10 assists, and 18 points in 20 games this season. It’s a great start to the 27-year-old’s new eight-year contract with a $6.125 million cap hit, which he signed in the summer after being a huge part of their Stanley Cup run in 2022.
Byram has missed a majority of the season, getting into just 10 games with two goals, three assists, and five points on the year. It’s the worst time to have an injury-plagued season for the 21-year-old, as he’s on the final year of his entry-level contract and set for restricted free agency at the end of the season.
Bednar also provided a couple updates on other injuries for the Avs. He mentioned that defenseman Josh Manson is close to returning, but there’s uncertainty as to whether or not he’ll join the Avalanche for their upcoming three game road trip out east. He hasn’t played since December 1st, and has two goals, four assists, and six points in 21 games this season.
Bednar also gave an update on captain Gabriel Landeskog, saying that the winger is still on track to start skating soon. Landeskog has yet to play this season after undergoing knee surgery in the offseason. He had 30 goals, 29 assists, and 59 points in 51 games last season, along with 11 goals, 11 assists, and 22 points in 20 games on route to their Stanley Cup win.
The injuries have certainly taken a toll on the Avalanche this season, or at the very least made their trip to the playoffs a bit more difficult. They currently sit fourth in the Central Division with a 27-18-3 record, tied with the Calgary Flames for the second wild card spot, although they have the tie breaker at the moment.