NHLPA will back him up. And ditching him for addiction is irresponsible and quitting on player. Kuznetzov contract not terminated neither will Nichuskin.

Yeah well Kuznetzov didn’t embarrass the Capitals two years in a row in the playoffs making himself unavailable through personal choices. I definitely hopes he gets the help he needs but it’s obvious the Avs can’t continue with him. How deflating for everybody involved, he was at morning skate, and literally 90 minutes before the game he is suspended and they have removed his nameplate from the locker room.

Both things are possible here. The team can terminate the contract for a material breach or neglect of club conduct. Off the top of my head I think of Mike Richards and Adam Ruzicka. The PA can subsequently support the player through their recovery.

It’s not the addiction that bothers me, addiction is no joke… I don’t have anything against the guy himself. I legit hope he gets the help he needs to get right… For the team though, it’s the fact that he’s left them hanging in the playoffs 2 years in a row. That has to constitute a material breach of contract.

After this, incident in hotel looks like cover up. Its a fault of organization control, if person think he can get away with that behavior.

i honestly don't disagree, and if this comes out in the wake of this suspension, i would expect some changes in colorado.

The NHLPA would have no leg to stand on, this is a repeat offence that has completely ruined the avs season twice now, time to move on

This is a stretch… I’m not sure what kind of thing you’d consider a “cover up”. The team sent him into the PA’s program at the time. Not sure how that’s covering things up…

But yeah, he needs to go and get himself right. I don’t think 6 months is going to cut it. He’s been in the program 3 times in a year. It’s time to stop with the quick fixes and take a long break from hockey and get the help he needs.

Not to mention this will be 3 trips to the program in a year. Clearly his addiction problem is serious, and should be handled that way. He needs serious help… help he probably can’t get in just 6 months in the program.

If the PA is really about supporting the player, his contract situation should come secondary to his recovery.