Valeri Nichushkin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Valeri Nichushkin
File:Valeri Nichushkin - Dallas Stars.jpg
Born (1995-03-04) March 4, 1995 (age 31)
Chelyabinsk, Russia
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 209 lb (95 kg; 14 st 13 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Colorado Avalanche
Traktor Chelyabinsk
Dallas Stars
CSKA Moscow
National team File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia
NHL draft 10th overall, 2013
Dallas Stars
Playing career 2012–present

Valeri Ivanovich Nichushkin (Russian: Валерий Иванович Ничушкин; born March 4, 1995) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Big Val", "Nuke", and "the Chu Chu Train", he was selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round, 10th overall, of the 2013 NHL entry draft. Nichushkin won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

Playing career

[edit | edit source]

Early career

[edit | edit source]

After one season in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Nichushkin transferred from Traktor Chelyabinsk to Dynamo Moscow on May 1, 2013. He then signed a two-year contract with Dynamo. However, the deal was terminated conditionally, allowing Nichushkin to play in the NHL, or return to Dynamo if he failed to make the NHL team.

NHL and KHL

[edit | edit source]

Dallas Stars

[edit | edit source]

Nichushkin played his first regular season NHL game on October 3, 2013, against the Florida Panthers.[1] He scored his first career NHL goal on November 3, against Craig Anderson of the Ottawa Senators.[2]

Following a strong rookie season, registering 14 goals and 20 assists, Nichushkin suffered from hip and groin soreness in the beginning of his sophomore campaign in 2014–15. Five games into the season, Nichushkin opted for hip surgery, which was performed on November 18, 2014.[3] He rehabbed in New Jersey and re-joined the team in March 2015, practicing in a red no-contact jersey.

CSKA Moscow

[edit | edit source]
File:CSKA Moscou - Lausanne, 8 août 2017 - 2.jpg
Nichushkin with CSKA in 2017.

As a restricted free agent following the conclusion of his entry-level deal in the 2015–16 season, Nichushkin and the Stars failed to agree to common grounds in contract negotiations. Unhappy with his role within the Stars lineup, his KHL rights were traded from Dynamo Moscow to CSKA Moscow on September 20, 2016. He subsequently signed a two-year contract to return to the KHL with CSKA, with his NHL rights to be kept by the Stars.[4]

Return to Dallas

[edit | edit source]

After two seasons with CSKA, Nichushkin returned to the Stars organization, in agreeing to a two-year, $5.9 million contract on July 1, 2018.[5] In his return to the Stars in the 2018–19 season, Nichushkin recorded 10 assists in 54 regular season games, averaging 11:55 time on ice per game. He skated in one game during the playoffs with the Stars and failed to record a point.

After a disappointing 2018-19 campaign, failing to score a goal through 57 games, Nichushkin was placed on unconditional waivers by the Stars and subsequently bought out from the remaining year of his contract with the team on 30 June 2019.[6]

Colorado Avalanche

[edit | edit source]

Nichushkin signed a one-year, $850k contract with the Colorado Avalanche on August 19, 2019. Nichushkin scored his first goal in two years on November 23. In his first season with the Avalanche, generally perceived to be a successful one, Nichushkin especially received high praise from many hockey analytics proponents for his high rankings in many metrics, especially defensive metrics. [7] Nichushkin finished the 2019–20 season with 13 goals and 27 points while leading all forwards in the NHL in defensive goals above replacement.[citation needed] Such strong defensive play helped Nichushkin to receive votes for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, the award given to the best defensive forward in the NHL, finishing eighth in voting.[8]

On October 10, 2020, the Avalanche re-signed Nichushkin, who was a restricted free agent, to a two-year, $5 million contract extension.[9]

In his third season with Avalanche, Nichushkin elevated in a top-six forward role, scored a career-best 52 points in 62 games, adding 15 points in 20 playoff games. He placed third on the team with nine playoff goals to help the Avalanche claim their first Stanley Cup in 21 years.

On July 11, 2022, Nichushkin signed an eight-year, $49 million extension to stay with the Avalanche. The following season, Nichushkin continued his strong play with the Avalanche, recording 47 points in 53 games as Colorado won the division and matched up in the opening round of the playoffs against the expansion Seattle Kraken, who were making their post-season debut as a franchise. Nichushkin played in two games, recording one goal in Game 2. Shortly after, Nichushkin abruptly stepped away from the team for "personal reasons" amid an incident at a Seattle hotel. Nichushkin was reportedly found with an Eastern European woman suffering from severe alcohol intoxication; the woman was reported to be either a prostitute or victim of human trafficking. Despite the nature of the incident, the NHL and Seattle Police reported that Nichushkin would not face criminal charges and Nichushkin would have played if the Avalanche had moved on to the second round.[10][11] Ultimately, the Kraken would claim an upset series victory, defeating the Avalanche in seven games.[11]

On January 15, 2024, it was announced that Nichushkin had entered the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program and would be unavailable for the team for an indefinite period while he received care from the Player Assistance Program.[12] After completing the program, Nichushkin returned to the Avalanche lineup on March 8, in a game against the Minnesota Wild where he scored the overtime game winning goal.[13] On April 28, Nichushkin recorded his first career NHL hat-trick in a 5–1 win over the Winnipeg Jets in game 4 of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.[14] The Avalanche would defeat the Jets in five games, but during the series against the Stars two weeks later, Nichushkin's season ended when he was given a six month suspension for having violated the terms set forth by the Player Assistance Program, and again entered the program, this time undergoing Stage 3.[15]

On March 8, 2025 Nichuskin recorded his 1st hat trick in the regular season, with a 7–4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Career statistics

[edit | edit source]

Regular season and playoffs

[edit | edit source]
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011–12 Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk MHL 38 4 6 10 6 — — — — —
2012–13 Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk MHL 9 4 4 8 0 — — — — —
2012–13 Chelmet Chelyabinsk VHL 15 8 2 10 4 — — — — —
2012–13 Traktor Chelyabinsk KHL 18 4 2 6 0 25 6 3 9 0
2013–14 Dallas Stars NHL 79 14 20 34 8 6 1 1 2 2
2014–15 Dallas Stars NHL 8 0 1 1 2 — — — — —
2014–15 Texas Stars AHL 5 0 4 4 12 — — — — —
2015–16 Dallas Stars NHL 79 9 20 29 12 10 0 1 1 2
2016–17 CSKA Moscow KHL 36 11 13 24 9 9 1 4 5 4
2017–18 CSKA Moscow KHL 50 16 11 27 14 19 3 6 9 4
2018–19 Dallas Stars NHL 57 0 10 10 0 1 0 0 0 0
2019–20 Colorado Avalanche NHL 65 13 14 27 14 15 2 1 3 2
2020–21 Colorado Avalanche NHL 55 10 11 21 4 10 1 2 3 10
2021–22 Colorado Avalanche NHL 62 25 27 52 14 20 9 6 15 8
2022–23 Colorado Avalanche NHL 53 17 30 47 2 2 1 0 1 0
2023–24 Colorado Avalanche NHL 54 28 25 53 22 8 9 1 10 2
2024–25 Colorado Avalanche NHL 43 21 13 34 8 7 3 1 4 0
KHL totals 104 31 26 57 23 53 10 13 23 8
NHL totals 555 137 171 308 86 79 26 13 39 26

International

[edit | edit source]
Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Germany/France
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Russia
Year Team Event Place   GP G A Pts PIM
2012 Russia U17 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 3 3 6 0
2012 Russia WJC18 5th 6 2 0 2 0
2013 Russia WJC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 6 1 1 2 25
2013 Russia WJC18 4th 6 4 3 7 0
2014 Russia OG 5th 5 1 0 1 0
2017 Russia WC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 6 0 3 3 0
Junior totals 23 10 7 17 25
Senior totals 11 1 3 4 0

Awards and honours

[edit | edit source]
Award Year Ref
KHL
Alexei Cherepanov Award 2013
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2022 [16]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]
Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Valeri_Nichushkin&oldid=11914154"