Avalanche forward cleared to resume practice

DENVER — A Colorado Avalanche forward is one step closer to returning to the lineup.

On Monday, the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) announced that Valeri Nichushkin has been cleared to resume practice with the team.

Nichushkin has entered the follow-up phase of the player assistance program, the league said. He has not yet been cleared to return to game action, according to the league.

Nichushkin entered the program in January. Under the terms of the joint program, Nichushkin could only return to the club when cleared for on-ice competition by the program administrators.

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