News broke yesterday prior to game 4 that Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has been suspended from the NHL for 6 months.
This afternoon, Insider Frank Seravalli announced that the cause was that he failed an illicit substance test yesterday.
#Avs forward Val Nichushkin has been suspended without pay for a minimum 6 months for violating terms of #NHL/#NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
Sources say Nichushkin recently failed a drug test. He missed playoff games last year after a 911 call in Seattle in which an intoxicated woman was found in his room.