DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche announced on Monday that forward Valeri Nichushkin has received clearance to start practicing with the team.

However, he is still in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, which means he is barred from playing in any games. His suspension is expected to extend until at least mid-November.

The potential return of Nichushkin would provide a significant boost to a forward lineup that has been challenged this season by multiple injuries. Additionally, Artturi Lehkonen, who has been recovering from shoulder surgery, was activated from injured reserve on Monday, further improving the team’s options.

Nichushkin’s absence was felt deeply during the previous postseason when he missed games for reasons unrelated to hockey. His suspension was announced just one hour before the Avalanche’s 5-1 defeat against the Dallas Stars on May 13 in the second round of the playoffs. The Avalanche ultimately lost that series.

The 29-year-old Russian right winger had previously left the team during a first-round playoff series against Seattle in 2023, citing personal reasons. This departure led him to miss the final five games of that playoff, which culminated in a narrow 4-3 series loss for the Avalanche.

Under contract until the 2029-30 season, Nichushkin signed an eight-year deal worth $49 million in 2022. He had a standout year last season, netting a personal-best 28 goals across 54 regular-season games.

The injury-plagued Avalanche currently also lack the services of captain Gabriel Landeskog (knee), Ross Colton (broken foot), and Jonathan Drouin (upper body). Miles Wood was placed on injured reserve on Monday due to an upper body injury.