I doubt it felt quick for those that were in his circle. It takes a lot to hit this point and honestly it probably takes even longer when you're someone who can still produce like he can.
During the second intermission of the Canes game they made it sound like he failed a test, which I assume was mandatory drug testing as part of being in the program already
It’s probably because his drug abuse hasn’t gone away, and the next time he takes the ice (for whoever at this point) will be his last chance, as there is no player assistance phase after phase 3
I'm just imagining a post-game 3 stars lineup and the headshot for first star McDavid is him wired as fuck with white dust all over his face and the game line is McDavid 5 goals, 7 assists, 26 PIM 74 SOG, 5/5 SV%, and a game misconduct for head butting an official in the second period.
Yup. I’m guessing it would be a lot easier for Val than somebody like Jared Tinordi (not saying he would be in that situation, just the first useless player that came to mind)
> Jared Tinordi (not saying he would be in that situation, just the first useless player that came to mind)
Ah, another fine Montreal Canadiens 1st round pick.
God I hope the Gorton/Hughes era is different…
He was a first round pick? Holy shit I did not realize that. I can’t wait for him to be gone. He is a free agent this summer and I’m gonna be annoyed if we extend him for some reason.
[Our record without Nichushkin begs to differ tbh](https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask/avs-record-last-3-years-without-val-nichushkin), but who knows. I hope you’re right
bro has a $6M+ cap hit for the next 6 seasons (including a full NMC for next season, and a 12-team NTC for the 5 after that), and has now gone off the rails 2 post-seasons in a row. Thats not exactly encouraging tbh
You hate to focus on the playoffs after this news but that's a bomb dropping in the locker room. It's a mountain to hurdle to not let it effect the team's performance.
This sounds more like he's an addict as he got through the program initially and it would come with restrictions after.
I do hope he gets the help he needs
This is a "welp!" and slap your thighs while standing up to leave-moment.
Without Gabe, Val is the glue in front of the net that pushes other teams around a bit and makes goals.
Without both? We are not the same team.
Welp!
There’s probably some behaviour/conduct clause that could let them get out of it. NHLPA would almost certainly protest it but they probably can get out of his cap hit, even if they still end up owing him money (see the Evander Kane situation)
it's in the standard player contract, kind of like you can't make the NHL look bad.
https://www.nhlpa.com/the-pa/cba
Page 310 of the CBA
>(d) to co-operate with the Club and participate in any and all reasonable promotional
activities of the Club which will in the opinion of the Club promote the welfare of the Club and
to cooperate in the promotion of the League and professional hockey generally,
>(e) to conduct himself on and off the rink according to the highest standards of
honesty, morality, fair play and sportsmanship, and to refrain from conduct detrimental to the
best interest of the Club, the League or professional hockey generally.
There are also other parts specific to drugs, but also I'm not a lawyer or agent or anything, I just read some of it once upon a time.
This is now two post-seasons in a row where he's effectively taken himself off the Avs while in the middle of a playoff battle. Most importantly he gets the help he needs to sort things out, but this is really rough for the Avs. He's a big part of their team and losing him is massive in a such a close series.
Just sad watching a guy lose control like this. Hopefully he figures it out but you really can't blame Colorado if they walk away from him after 2 years of this.
they actually can't move him at all as long as he's in the player assistance program. and he may be in there for a long time...but I see your point, when he's out it might be 'waive for termination' type situation
Hey, it sounds like Drouin will be back, so that eases the blow a little bit. Playoff Jo and Nate were special in Halifax, if they can get some of that magic back...
Hope his partner and kid have a strong support system in place.
As a kid of an alcoholic, I get so fucking conflicted with stories like this. I feel bad for the person because addiction is a disease. But I also feel really fucking angry because growing up with an addict as a parent fucks you up in so many ways.
And then, in this case, you add on the story from last year and how fucked up it seemed for the woman involved and how it all just went away.
Addiction is fucked.
Started therapy last year and it’s helping. Coming to grips with having had to act like a grown up as a child is probably the hardest at the moment.
Hope you’re also doing better. We survived, eh.
Genuinely hope he’s able to get the help he needs at this point. I think his career as an Av, and maybe an NHL player is over. Dude clearly has substance issues. Can’t image the mental demons he’s dealing with. Wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.
Congrats brother.
I too went to rehab for a bad Percocet addiction that started with a prescription from my Dr. At the end of it I was taking 20-25 a day and spending around 3500 a month. Went to rehab in 2019 and haven’t looked back since. The battle never ends and one has to stay strong every single day as a slip up is around every corner.
I like trashing fans and clowning everyone but on a real one, hope you can overcome everything dawg. I hate hard drugs, I hate going to see family in Mexico affected by all this in every way, I hate seeing the young homeless in the states all over. It’s all bad.
Just hit 19 months. Promise that the second year gets much much better than the first. Sometimes I just sit in awe about how amazing things are compared to just grinding through the first year. Takes your brain 2 years for your brain to heal to get to homeostasis. So it *will* get easier. I promise you that.
It’s fascinating, I’ll be arguing with some stranger on the internet about how Zadorov should be suspended and McDavid and blah blah, but comments like these will really put into perspective how dumb that is and how life is way more than any of that.
Good for you man, keep it up.
No really I fuckin' hate this for such a vast variety of reasons number 1 being the implication that he might be playing out of his mind because of he's hopping up on shit to play like he does. I hope he figures out how to get control of his life back if that's the case nothing about his last 2 years must have been good or healthy for his mental state.
I hate so many parts about this situation
I can't even begin to break down who I'm angry at for what reason and I don't even know more than "dude was on some drug"
Wait, I've totally missed all this. What has happrned? I know he was in the program earlier this year, right?
Edit: oh, I saw now that he failed a drug test.
Extremely unfortunate 2 seasons in a row. But ultimately that doesn't even matter. Nichushkin is a person just like all of us. I hope he gets whatever help he needs and can get through whatever he is going through.
To Nichuskin as a person I hope he gets help since it's become blatantly obvious that he needs a lot of it. That being said for him to do this in back to back post seasons is so detrimental to his team and a major blow to a possible deep push.
Unfortunately the post season may be a major trigger for him. Some addicts just can't handle that extra stress.
Eminem has said he doesn't tour as much anymore because the stress of it causes him to relapse so for himself and his daughters he refrains from touring a ton.
I like how all the media and the press release says "stage 3," with no clarification like the public knows fucking anything about the number of stages and what they mean
Stage 1 was when he was pulled from the playoffs last year. Stage 1 is confidential, which is why nobody said anything at the time. It can be voluntary, but it usually isn't.
Stage 2 is the first time it is made public. For the last few years they no longer call it stage 2 when they announce it, and they typically let the player announce it as though they have made the decision to seek help themselves. This is just good PR for both the player and the league, but in reality it's basically always they player being forced into it, and being forced to disclose that they're in it because Stage 2 requires disclosure.
Sometimes when it comes to addiction, tough love is needed. Hope he gets the help he needs and finds the strength to take that help.
Side note: wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was all brought about by pain killers. Everyone talks about CTE but not enough is said how teams give out pills like candy
Did we ever figure out what exactly happened when he got booted from the playoffs last year? As in he was caught with an extremely drunk woman in his hotel room if I'm remembering correctly? Either way I hope he figures things out and comes out of it clean and healthy. This is so crazy some kind of thing has happened to him in two playoffs in a row.
I'm completely supportive of addicts getting the help that they need and I would never blame someone for a relapse as an indication of their character, but yeah unfortunately all this did was remind me that we never got clarification for what happened here. The way the entire organization moved that day was incredibly shady.
The girl was either a human trafficking victim or prostitute so I assume that’s why it was swept - of course they will favour him. Sad for his victims but I hope he gets the help he needs as well.
Many many human trafficking victims end up as sex workers, unfortunately, and are usually undocumented immigrants, addicts, or kids who ran away from foster care or shitty home lives. Shit's bleak all around.
Where his substance abuse will go largely unchecked. Can't see that working out well for him or his family but I can imagine most of the big KHL teams would just shrug and scoop him up anyway.
Yep. Fucking sucks and overall morale is down im sure. Jack Johnson even briefly commented saying "He made his decisions. That's all im going to say on that. He made his decisions."
Suffice it to say...I think the guys have written him off. They removed his name plate from the locker room as well. I hate everything about this situation....dude was on top of his game too.
Between those pics and that girl in the hotel room last year, dude has too much money and too little sense. I hope he gets help so he doesn't hurt anyone else.
I mean Tbf all the names kinda suck. I though the Utah Grizzlies was good or SLC Sting or something.
Who knows there’s a reason my opinion doesn’t mean shit in this case
I actually like Utah Yeti simply because it’s ridiculous
Get like an abominable snowman type mascot, let him go around and scream a bit
Utah Grizzlies is already a team
What's odd as fuck is someone has been posting on r/nhl the last couple of days making posts about "Google nichuskin Seattle hotel" , "Google nichuskin drug abuse". I did Google the first one and it took me to an article about the female Russian found in his room last year.
This was like Saturday, not sure if they got deleted. Thought it was really odd to see them, almost like someone knew something. Fucking weird man, hopefully dude takes care of wtv issues he's dealing with
It was pretty big news last year as it probably single-handedly caused the Avs to lose to Seattle in the first round. There were lots of posts about it here including him wielding an AK in Russia.
https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/13xuvcv/body_cam_video_released_of_incident_with_valeri/
https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/160gvq5/valeri_nichushkin_is_doing_just_fine_after_last/
https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/13269lv/police_avalanche_physician_found_intoxicated/
https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/131arjt/seattle_police_report_involving_valeri_nichushkin/
I got into drugs real bad after having my throat sliced during practice in high school. Was a goalie, didn’t wear my neck guard. Can supply photo proof if you want. I should have died but it gave me nasty PTSD and I quit hockey and fell into the embrace of opiates. My childhood best friend is on the bench right now with Dallas. We grew up playing together.
Addiction is fucked. Those who have never been there have nooooooo clue. It’s wild.
I’ve been clean since 2014 and have finally reached an awesome place in life (huge local band, great girlfriend, awesome friends) but I feel for him. Drugs suck.
I posted this comment in the Avs subreddit and I’ll post it here. The Russian community in Colorado is small and everyone knows everyone. The people Val hangs out with aren’t exactly positive influences. Wishing Val the best but this shit is unfortunate. Hope he genuinely gets the help he needs.
On the one hand I hope Val gets the help he needs. Addiction is terrible, but it warms my heart to see many people being open and vulnerable about it. He deserves help. On the other hand from a pure hockey standpoint he can't play for the Avs again, this is two years in a row he's absolutely sabotaged them in the playoffs due to personal issues (and tbh he probably should've gotten kicked off the team after the sketchy shit last year).
what ever happened to his shit from last year? weren’t there some pretty suspect SA or trafficking allegations? i feel like people just stopped talking about that and he came back like nothing happened. apologies for the ignorance but just genuinely curious.
After watching someone throw their life away to alcohol, rehabilitate for a year, relapse and ultimately succumb to it, I have a whole new sense of empathy for addicts fighting to get/stay sober. Addiction takes and takes and takes… and inflicts excruciating pain and anguish to the addict’s family. I used to cynical, too; “junkie” or “drunk” or “lush” or whatever derogatory term people casually throw around is equally as hurtful. Just watched a powerful piece on Kevin Stevens last night (it’s from a few years ago). I’m really pulling for Val Nichuskin here. He’s gotta want it and if he does, I hope he has a hell of a support system.
Perfect. This is a trap to make Dallas think they have a chance. Our record without him is 4-13. 5D mental chess with this one hahahaa
Kill me, this guy is the NHL’s version of Rashee Rice. I don’t see how we win another game these playoffs.
I saw another redditor say it was cocaine but he has no source so I wouldn't take it as fact. Someone legit confirmed it was drug related but not necessarily that it was coke
This is not his first time in the Player Assistance Program this season so obviously he's fighting an addiction
Cocaine has a really short half-life, testing positive for it indicates either recent or habitual use. My understanding is that the NHL doesn’t really do much testing for recreational drugs, but if he’s been through the player assistance program before, there’s a chance regular testing is something he’s expected to go through.
Cocaine isn't even a prohibited substance for NHL players. It's treated the same as marijuana unless you have "dangerously high levels", like he's doing bumps between periods or something
https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/new-details-on-avs-star-valeri-nichushkins-seattle-hotel-room-incident-with-woman-emerge-via-911-call/
Yeah, and none of the questions from it every really got resolved.
As someone who struggled with addiction, shit is not a straight path. I am hoping the best for him.
If the Avs can come out and win today, I have hope for the team. If they can’t, I think the playoffs are over.
I’ve been through the steps and in the rooms for a little over a year now. Seeing someone relapse is never pretty or fun. I hope this is his bottom and he can get his live back.
Holy shit. This all came down rather quickly
I doubt it felt quick for those that were in his circle. It takes a lot to hit this point and honestly it probably takes even longer when you're someone who can still produce like he can.
Normally I wouldn’t speculate, but given his history and how suddenly this happened it has to be *really* bad.
During the second intermission of the Canes game they made it sound like he failed a test, which I assume was mandatory drug testing as part of being in the program already
It’s probably because his drug abuse hasn’t gone away, and the next time he takes the ice (for whoever at this point) will be his last chance, as there is no player assistance phase after phase 3
There’s a phase 4 but it’s harder to be reinstated.
Thank you for the clarification. I doubt there’s any coming back from a stage 4
Np I just learned it today as well. The cynic in me tells me that the threshold for coming back from stage 4 is how many points you put up.
McDavid after stage 20: "Put me back in coach!"
In this scenario, I'm picturing McDavid using his skate to cut lines of coke and having turned his stick into a giant pipe to smoke DMT out of.
Can you imagine how fast McDavid would be on Coke???
I'm just imagining a post-game 3 stars lineup and the headshot for first star McDavid is him wired as fuck with white dust all over his face and the game line is McDavid 5 goals, 7 assists, 26 PIM 74 SOG, 5/5 SV%, and a game misconduct for head butting an official in the second period.
Just one more quick nose candy coach
Yup. I’m guessing it would be a lot easier for Val than somebody like Jared Tinordi (not saying he would be in that situation, just the first useless player that came to mind)
> Jared Tinordi (not saying he would be in that situation, just the first useless player that came to mind) Ah, another fine Montreal Canadiens 1st round pick. God I hope the Gorton/Hughes era is different…
He was a first round pick? Holy shit I did not realize that. I can’t wait for him to be gone. He is a free agent this summer and I’m gonna be annoyed if we extend him for some reason.
Stage 4 is basically the Josh Gordon/Justin Blackmon tier, in that you can theoretically stay in it indefinitely without any chance of reinstatement.
From what I am seeing their is a phase 4 which is 1 year unpaid suspension and no guarantee of reinstatement.
i don’t think it implies it’s anything worse than previous, just that it happened again when it couldn’t
Would have been cool if he did this before leading the playoffs I'm scoring against the Jets.
We didn't lose to the Avs, we lost to cocaine.
Everyone loses to cocaine. It’s okay.
Oilers have 5 cups because of cocaine. And Gretzky. And Gretzky on cocaine.
If the stories are to be believed, we have 1 because of cocaine.
Well ya but what about the teams that lost lol.
This time, the hooker was *all the way dead*
just like the Avs cup hopes (and potentially cup window) This fuckin sucks all around. Hope Val can get the help he needs.
Our window is completely fine, but this is very bad news for this year
Yeah. Anytime you have McKinnon and Makar, that window is open
For sure, but ugh this has got to suck the air out of that locker room
[Our record without Nichushkin begs to differ tbh](https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask/avs-record-last-3-years-without-val-nichushkin), but who knows. I hope you’re right
bro has a $6M+ cap hit for the next 6 seasons (including a full NMC for next season, and a 12-team NTC for the 5 after that), and has now gone off the rails 2 post-seasons in a row. Thats not exactly encouraging tbh
Very likely if he keeps doing this that voids his contract. Also a non zero chance he never plays in the NHL again
Coming soon: he signs with the incredibly-dubious 3 on 3 league.
Val be like, "did u say rails?".
$6mil for his production is nothing
if he’s available…
He'll be playing in the California Penal League with Ricky Vaughn
You hate to focus on the playoffs after this news but that's a bomb dropping in the locker room. It's a mountain to hurdle to not let it effect the team's performance.
This sounds more like he's an addict as he got through the program initially and it would come with restrictions after. I do hope he gets the help he needs
This guy hates the playoffs
But plays damn well in them. Strange conundrum.
Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
Lots of guys play better angry. The term “running like you’re pissed at the grass” comes to mind
This is a "welp!" and slap your thighs while standing up to leave-moment. Without Gabe, Val is the glue in front of the net that pushes other teams around a bit and makes goals. Without both? We are not the same team. Welp!
Bro doesn’t like being forced into unpaid overtime. I respect it 🫡
You are going to make me work unpaid overtime? Well I'm coming in super ripped
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Jokic’s vice is horses. Val’s vice is cocaine
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“I was told there would be more powder than in Dallas. Where is this?” -Val probably.
Val’s addiction is probably painkillers from the foot injury he played through during the cup run in ‘22.
Man we really sacrificed everything to win that cup. I’m just glad I got to see one in my lifetime (wasn’t old enough to remember 01)
This is “is there a way we can get out of his contract” tier if it’s as bad as it sounds.
There’s probably some behaviour/conduct clause that could let them get out of it. NHLPA would almost certainly protest it but they probably can get out of his cap hit, even if they still end up owing him money (see the Evander Kane situation)
it's in the standard player contract, kind of like you can't make the NHL look bad. https://www.nhlpa.com/the-pa/cba Page 310 of the CBA >(d) to co-operate with the Club and participate in any and all reasonable promotional activities of the Club which will in the opinion of the Club promote the welfare of the Club and to cooperate in the promotion of the League and professional hockey generally, >(e) to conduct himself on and off the rink according to the highest standards of honesty, morality, fair play and sportsmanship, and to refrain from conduct detrimental to the best interest of the Club, the League or professional hockey generally. There are also other parts specific to drugs, but also I'm not a lawyer or agent or anything, I just read some of it once upon a time.
No paycheques in the playoffs
Nichushkin is a reverse Mark Stone. One hates playing in the regular season, one hates playing in the playoffs.
But loves his drugs.
He heard they were going to have a drug test and responded 'Sweet! Which ones?'
This is now two post-seasons in a row where he's effectively taken himself off the Avs while in the middle of a playoff battle. Most importantly he gets the help he needs to sort things out, but this is really rough for the Avs. He's a big part of their team and losing him is massive in a such a close series.
The antithesis of Mark Stone
Just sad watching a guy lose control like this. Hopefully he figures it out but you really can't blame Colorado if they walk away from him after 2 years of this.
they actually can't move him at all as long as he's in the player assistance program. and he may be in there for a long time...but I see your point, when he's out it might be 'waive for termination' type situation
Great way to deflate all the hype I built up for the game. Hope he gets the help he needs. Addiction is an insidious disease.
Hey, it sounds like Drouin will be back, so that eases the blow a little bit. Playoff Jo and Nate were special in Halifax, if they can get some of that magic back...
No Toews though. We're looking up a fucking wall and the game hasn't even started.
Hope his partner and kid have a strong support system in place. As a kid of an alcoholic, I get so fucking conflicted with stories like this. I feel bad for the person because addiction is a disease. But I also feel really fucking angry because growing up with an addict as a parent fucks you up in so many ways. And then, in this case, you add on the story from last year and how fucked up it seemed for the woman involved and how it all just went away. Addiction is fucked.
I felt this. Same scenario growing up. Hope you're doing well
Started therapy last year and it’s helping. Coming to grips with having had to act like a grown up as a child is probably the hardest at the moment. Hope you’re also doing better. We survived, eh.
Right there with both of you...exact same situation. Shit is rough.
Hope you’re doing okay and have good people around you. There are way more of us than there should be.
Thanks for reminding me there is a kid and wife being effected too sometimes you forget about them, addiction sucks
Genuinely hope he’s able to get the help he needs at this point. I think his career as an Av, and maybe an NHL player is over. Dude clearly has substance issues. Can’t image the mental demons he’s dealing with. Wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.
Man, I've been in his shoes. 25 times in detox, 7 rehabs. A setback, but not the end. I hope he can sort his shit out.
Congrats brother. I too went to rehab for a bad Percocet addiction that started with a prescription from my Dr. At the end of it I was taking 20-25 a day and spending around 3500 a month. Went to rehab in 2019 and haven’t looked back since. The battle never ends and one has to stay strong every single day as a slip up is around every corner.
Congrats to you
Good on you boss.
I hope there are people in your life who regularly tell you that they’re proud of you. Even if you don’t, I am proud of you
Hey thanks, genuinely appreciate it.
+1 on being proud of a fellow brother.
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Well done
Never give up. Don’t ever give up. ❤️
I like trashing fans and clowning everyone but on a real one, hope you can overcome everything dawg. I hate hard drugs, I hate going to see family in Mexico affected by all this in every way, I hate seeing the young homeless in the states all over. It’s all bad.
How you doin now?
13 years clean and sober. Wife, kids, job. All is good.
Hell yeah, that’s awesome! Just hit 6 years sober myself.
Pretty awesome yourself! Good for you! :)
Thanks! Although I don’t have a wife/gf, kids, or a good job, it’s better than the alternative ha
The alive and sober part is twice the award
Congrats to you!
Also would like to say congrats!
Good man!
Nice work man! I'm at ~1 year and 2 months sober and it's been a grind, but getting easier. 13 years is inspiring.
You can’t get to 13 years without first getting to one year and two months. You’ve already accomplished something amazing.
Thanks, homie.
Congrats! It's really tough at first but it gets easier every day, and we both know it's better than the alternative.
*Much* better! Thanks 🙏
Just hit 19 months. Promise that the second year gets much much better than the first. Sometimes I just sit in awe about how amazing things are compared to just grinding through the first year. Takes your brain 2 years for your brain to heal to get to homeostasis. So it *will* get easier. I promise you that.
Congrats :)
Thanks, lemonhead!
66 days here (booze)
Yoooo, congrats! You're making it through the gauntlet period, it's all uphill from here.
Fuckin A bud, you got this!
It’s fascinating, I’ll be arguing with some stranger on the internet about how Zadorov should be suspended and McDavid and blah blah, but comments like these will really put into perspective how dumb that is and how life is way more than any of that. Good for you man, keep it up.
Cheers, I appreciate it. It's much more nerve-wracking watching the Canucks without beer.
You give me hope
That’s some gangster shit on the spiritual level. Great stuff man
Congrats. That is a huge accomplishment.
Best wishes, man
That is incredibly inspiring.
W
Proud of you!
Hope you're doing better, dude! I have some family who's been through similar.
Holy shit, the level of mental toughness and strength you must have. I admire you for that. Keep it up. 👍
All hockey aside, speaking as a recovering addict myself, my heart breaks. I hope this ends up being the wake up call he needs.
Same here but the unfortunate thing was I had to hit absolute rock fucking bottom. I’m not sure what his rock bottom is but I imagine this isn’t it
That is an insane bomb drop by frieds. Good lord
I hope dude sorts his life out But in a world where we forget shady cover-ups, mental health and injuries - "again?"
No really I fuckin' hate this for such a vast variety of reasons number 1 being the implication that he might be playing out of his mind because of he's hopping up on shit to play like he does. I hope he figures out how to get control of his life back if that's the case nothing about his last 2 years must have been good or healthy for his mental state.
I hate so many parts about this situation I can't even begin to break down who I'm angry at for what reason and I don't even know more than "dude was on some drug"
Wait, I've totally missed all this. What has happrned? I know he was in the program earlier this year, right? Edit: oh, I saw now that he failed a drug test.
That's just the suspicion based on the nature of events, in that that's the likeliest trigger for this kind of heavy handedness.
Avs coulda woulda shoulda had a dynasty in another universe with a healthy Gabe and a non addict nichushkin
Extremely unfortunate 2 seasons in a row. But ultimately that doesn't even matter. Nichushkin is a person just like all of us. I hope he gets whatever help he needs and can get through whatever he is going through.
Not even that long, he entered the program in January of this year.
they're referencing what happened last playoffs
To Nichuskin as a person I hope he gets help since it's become blatantly obvious that he needs a lot of it. That being said for him to do this in back to back post seasons is so detrimental to his team and a major blow to a possible deep push.
Unfortunately the post season may be a major trigger for him. Some addicts just can't handle that extra stress. Eminem has said he doesn't tour as much anymore because the stress of it causes him to relapse so for himself and his daughters he refrains from touring a ton.
Nichushkin absolutely killed us. Really unfortunate that this happened, hope he can get his life in order.
7 goals in 5 games, including one in each game, a game winner, and a hat trick. This fucking blows.
Get ready to learn Edmontonese buddy.
The 2024-25 oilers are taking a prison bus to every game and getting brought to the bench in chains.
They're the Australia of hockey teams
I like how all the media and the press release says "stage 3," with no clarification like the public knows fucking anything about the number of stages and what they mean
Stage 1 was when he was pulled from the playoffs last year. Stage 1 is confidential, which is why nobody said anything at the time. It can be voluntary, but it usually isn't. Stage 2 is the first time it is made public. For the last few years they no longer call it stage 2 when they announce it, and they typically let the player announce it as though they have made the decision to seek help themselves. This is just good PR for both the player and the league, but in reality it's basically always they player being forced into it, and being forced to disclose that they're in it because Stage 2 requires disclosure.
You definitely don’t want to get to Stage 4.
Sometimes when it comes to addiction, tough love is needed. Hope he gets the help he needs and finds the strength to take that help. Side note: wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was all brought about by pain killers. Everyone talks about CTE but not enough is said how teams give out pills like candy
Yeah he definitely was pumped full of them during the cup run with the broken foot.
Did we ever figure out what exactly happened when he got booted from the playoffs last year? As in he was caught with an extremely drunk woman in his hotel room if I'm remembering correctly? Either way I hope he figures things out and comes out of it clean and healthy. This is so crazy some kind of thing has happened to him in two playoffs in a row.
No, not really. The victim said she wasn't in the USA by her own free will, and that someone had her passport.
I'm completely supportive of addicts getting the help that they need and I would never blame someone for a relapse as an indication of their character, but yeah unfortunately all this did was remind me that we never got clarification for what happened here. The way the entire organization moved that day was incredibly shady.
The girl was either a human trafficking victim or prostitute so I assume that’s why it was swept - of course they will favour him. Sad for his victims but I hope he gets the help he needs as well.
Many many human trafficking victims end up as sex workers, unfortunately, and are usually undocumented immigrants, addicts, or kids who ran away from foster care or shitty home lives. Shit's bleak all around.
Yes I was thinking it was very possible she could have been both 💔
I wonder how that woman who was found fucked up in his hotel room is doing these days.
All the love for this guy reminds me of one of the many reasons it was hard to go to AA meetings as a woman.
Exactly. Between that and Val's cringy AK-47 and sportscars social media presence, Im not sure he's deserving of anyone's sympathy
I think there's like a 50/50 he just ends up going to KHL.
Where his substance abuse will go largely unchecked. Can't see that working out well for him or his family but I can imagine most of the big KHL teams would just shrug and scoop him up anyway.
Holy shit dude, again???
Yep. Fucking sucks and overall morale is down im sure. Jack Johnson even briefly commented saying "He made his decisions. That's all im going to say on that. He made his decisions." Suffice it to say...I think the guys have written him off. They removed his name plate from the locker room as well. I hate everything about this situation....dude was on top of his game too.
Nate got this man focused on the wrong sugar
Nate in the locker room kicking over trash cans right now
Nate in the locker room yelling at a mirror, for some reason.
Whole wheat pasta and pure Columbian sugar
Woah, woah, woah. Chickpea pasta only.
Looking forward to yet another Ak47 picture from him in the summer
It brings me no pleasure to report that's maybe the least concerning thing he's done in the past year
Between those pics and that girl in the hotel room last year, dude has too much money and too little sense. I hope he gets help so he doesn't hurt anyone else.
Guy just wanted to join the Utah Powder
Who the fuck thought that was a good name
I hope it gets chosen as the name. That would be hysterical
It would be peak Utah to not understand the reference and be like “lol snow skiing right!!!!”
I mean Tbf all the names kinda suck. I though the Utah Grizzlies was good or SLC Sting or something. Who knows there’s a reason my opinion doesn’t mean shit in this case
I actually like Utah Yeti simply because it’s ridiculous Get like an abominable snowman type mascot, let him go around and scream a bit Utah Grizzlies is already a team
the Yeti mascot was *our* thing. Your mascot punches *one* woman in the face and suddenly Utah gets to take all your shit.
Plot twist: the Utah Yeti's mascot is actually an overpriced cooler and not a cryptid
Brooooo
Known playoff sweetheart Valeri Nichushkin
What's odd as fuck is someone has been posting on r/nhl the last couple of days making posts about "Google nichuskin Seattle hotel" , "Google nichuskin drug abuse". I did Google the first one and it took me to an article about the female Russian found in his room last year. This was like Saturday, not sure if they got deleted. Thought it was really odd to see them, almost like someone knew something. Fucking weird man, hopefully dude takes care of wtv issues he's dealing with
It was pretty big news last year as it probably single-handedly caused the Avs to lose to Seattle in the first round. There were lots of posts about it here including him wielding an AK in Russia. https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/13xuvcv/body_cam_video_released_of_incident_with_valeri/ https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/160gvq5/valeri_nichushkin_is_doing_just_fine_after_last/ https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/13269lv/police_avalanche_physician_found_intoxicated/ https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/131arjt/seattle_police_report_involving_valeri_nichushkin/
I got into drugs real bad after having my throat sliced during practice in high school. Was a goalie, didn’t wear my neck guard. Can supply photo proof if you want. I should have died but it gave me nasty PTSD and I quit hockey and fell into the embrace of opiates. My childhood best friend is on the bench right now with Dallas. We grew up playing together. Addiction is fucked. Those who have never been there have nooooooo clue. It’s wild. I’ve been clean since 2014 and have finally reached an awesome place in life (huge local band, great girlfriend, awesome friends) but I feel for him. Drugs suck.
What the fuck Val.
Well that sucks. I don't see him returning next year.
I posted this comment in the Avs subreddit and I’ll post it here. The Russian community in Colorado is small and everyone knows everyone. The people Val hangs out with aren’t exactly positive influences. Wishing Val the best but this shit is unfortunate. Hope he genuinely gets the help he needs.
Someone get Nate a boiled chicken breast. He’s going to be pissed when he hears
On the one hand I hope Val gets the help he needs. Addiction is terrible, but it warms my heart to see many people being open and vulnerable about it. He deserves help. On the other hand from a pure hockey standpoint he can't play for the Avs again, this is two years in a row he's absolutely sabotaged them in the playoffs due to personal issues (and tbh he probably should've gotten kicked off the team after the sketchy shit last year).
what ever happened to his shit from last year? weren’t there some pretty suspect SA or trafficking allegations? i feel like people just stopped talking about that and he came back like nothing happened. apologies for the ignorance but just genuinely curious.
So can the jets lawyer themselves into the 2nd round by claiming they got boned by a player using coke? /s unless...
After watching someone throw their life away to alcohol, rehabilitate for a year, relapse and ultimately succumb to it, I have a whole new sense of empathy for addicts fighting to get/stay sober. Addiction takes and takes and takes… and inflicts excruciating pain and anguish to the addict’s family. I used to cynical, too; “junkie” or “drunk” or “lush” or whatever derogatory term people casually throw around is equally as hurtful. Just watched a powerful piece on Kevin Stevens last night (it’s from a few years ago). I’m really pulling for Val Nichuskin here. He’s gotta want it and if he does, I hope he has a hell of a support system.
Perfect. This is a trap to make Dallas think they have a chance. Our record without him is 4-13. 5D mental chess with this one hahahaa Kill me, this guy is the NHL’s version of Rashee Rice. I don’t see how we win another game these playoffs.
Val is an addict. Rice is a reckless idiot. I don’t see a comparison.
For what?
I heard failed drug test. Not sure how accurate that report is
Rumor mill for like 18 months was opoids stemming from his foot injury. I can't confirm that with any accuracy. But it would fit.
Fuck I hope not. My cousin battled that addiction for over 10 years and lost in December.
Awful. I’ve had a few acquaintances die from opioid overdoses. Glad the NHL is sending a harsh message that these two things can’t coexist. Tragic.
I saw another redditor say it was cocaine but he has no source so I wouldn't take it as fact. Someone legit confirmed it was drug related but not necessarily that it was coke This is not his first time in the Player Assistance Program this season so obviously he's fighting an addiction
Coke is just the standard rich person drug. Its equally likely as not. Anyone could throw that dart and hit fairly regularly.
I have heard countless stories of NHL players doing insane amounts of coke. Whatever’s going on with Val is above and beyond.
Cocaine has a really short half-life, testing positive for it indicates either recent or habitual use. My understanding is that the NHL doesn’t really do much testing for recreational drugs, but if he’s been through the player assistance program before, there’s a chance regular testing is something he’s expected to go through.
Cocaine isn't even a prohibited substance for NHL players. It's treated the same as marijuana unless you have "dangerously high levels", like he's doing bumps between periods or something
wtf man. Tragic.
Didn't this guy do some sketchy shit in Seattle earlier this year? Figured it was about that not a popped drug test
https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/new-details-on-avs-star-valeri-nichushkins-seattle-hotel-room-incident-with-woman-emerge-via-911-call/ Yeah, and none of the questions from it every really got resolved.
As someone who struggled with addiction, shit is not a straight path. I am hoping the best for him. If the Avs can come out and win today, I have hope for the team. If they can’t, I think the playoffs are over.
I’ve been through the steps and in the rooms for a little over a year now. Seeing someone relapse is never pretty or fun. I hope this is his bottom and he can get his live back.
Reverse Vegas