Valeri Nichushkin Injured After Involvement in Multi-Car Accident

Story byRyan O’HaraTue, January 20, 2026 at 2:29 AM UTC·1 min readDENVER — Valeri Nichushkin was a late scratch Monday night against the Washington Capitals, as the Colorado Avalanche announced just before puck drop that the forward had suffered an upper-body injury. Following the game, head coach Jared Bednar revealed that the 30-year-old was involved in a multi-car accident on his way to the arena. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTo fill the void in the lineup, the Avalanche recalled Alex Barre-Boulet, who received the call roughly two hours before puck drop. Barre-Boulet, an unoriginally undrafted forward who hails from Montreal, made the drive from Loveland and arrived in time to make his Avalanche debut, recording a point in Colorado’s 5-2 win. It marked his first NHL point since December 21, 2023, when he scored a goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Vegas Golden Knights. Meanwhile, Nichushkin is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Tuesday.“It was a fender bender, but serious enough to keep him out of the lineup today,” Bednar said. “The roads were icy when the guys were coming in this morning and slick, and there was a multiple vehicle accident.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe absence marks Nichushkin’s second injury-related setback this season.