Denver Post: Nichushkin involved in incident that prompted police/medical response

[PAZ]

Yea...That's not what happened. At all.

People were speculating all over the place before any article from the DP. Are you mad at Seravalli too?

It's the Avs fault if people are speculating, certainly not the DP's. It's a f***ing failure from the Avs PR and they are lucky af that only a handful of journalists care about them in Denver.

If Nuke disappeared from Toronto you could bet your whole paycheck that we'd know what happened within 1 day.

Seravalli’s report was fine. It wasn’t filled with random reports that doesn’t provide the actual story.

It’s a personal reason, that’s good enough for now. Plenty of players disappeared for personal reasons. You’re going to look like a huge ass if it was something that should’ve stayed private but became public because people like you feel entitled to know what happened. Kind of sad that you’re actually giving credit to Toronto’s media, because it’s a clown show there.

If he did do something that is a cause for contract termination, it’s only a matter of time before the actual truth comes out.

 

[willy702]

Yea...That's not what happened. At all.

People were speculating all over the place before any article from the DP. Are you mad at Seravalli too?

It's the Avs fault if people are speculating, certainly not the DP's. It's a f***ing failure from the Avs PR and they are lucky af that only a handful of journalists care about them in Denver.

If Nuke disappeared from Toronto you could bet your whole paycheck that we'd know what happened within 1 day.

And what does it cost the Avs if people are speculating? People can speculate all they want and question it all they care to, there is no further explanation to give. Sure its entertaining to some to speculate but the simple reality is the Avs have to take the ice with the players available to them and go out and execute. Nuke would be helpful obviously in this round but I think he's far more important in future rounds so we'll just have to see if he's available.

And the whole if this happened in Toronto line is not correct. What we would have is a lot more speculation and a lot more theories but still not a whole lot revealed. Canadian press is much more respectful of privacy so you'd just have a bunch of blowhard bloggers like Kiz out there telling you what they think happened without any real evidence.

 

[AvsWraith]

I personally don't care what he was doing with that girl, or if he was married, or anything like that. That's his business.

But why abandon the team? There's something bigger going on here.

I don't think he did abandon the team. I think this leave for personal reasons is being enforced by the team.

He's married and they found another woman, intoxicated, in his room. It's not my place to judge Nuke for that as it's none of my business. However, the optics are bad. It's not the kind of image the team is interested in promoting for their players. Right now, the team is hoping that everyone will lose interest, and all of this will eventually just blow over.

 

[Balthazar]

I don't think he did abandon the team. I think this leave for personal reasons is being enforced by the team.

He's married and they found another woman, intoxicated, in his room. It's not my place to judge Nuke for that as it's none of my business. However, the optics are bad. It's not the kind of image the team is interested in promoting for their players. Right now, the team is hoping that everyone will lose interest, and all of this will eventually just blow over.

Hope people don't actually believe that he left the team in the middle of a playoff run because he's trying to save his marriage.

He left the hotel with security at the same time as they found the girl.

 

[Avs9296]

Has to be the substance abuse program.

Staying out of the lineup because of marital problems are unlikely. And we know for a fact there is no legal action against Nuke.

Really leaves rehab as the most likely.

 

[avalanche_country]

All of this could have been avoided if he got an American hooker

 

[Balthazar]

Has to be the substance abuse program.

Staying out of the lineup because of marital problems are unlikely. And we know for a fact there is no legal action against Nuke.

Really leaves rehab as the most likely.

Yea 90% chances that it's what happened.

Team doctors found the girl in the room (she even hit one of them) and Nuke was more than likely intoxicated too. He had missed morning skate and they gave him no choice but to go straight to rehab.

From the team's perspective rehab is a personal issue and they don't want to comment.

 

[Avs9296]

Yea 90% chances that it's what happened.

Team doctors found the girl in the room (she even hit one of them) and Nuke was more than likely intoxicated too. He had missed morning skate and they gave him no choice but to go straight to rehab.

From the team's perspective rehab is a personal issue and they don't want to comment.

Agreed except for wasn't there a report that Nuke wasn't in the room when they found the girl?

Probably got drunk the night before but he left earlier that day. Who knows...

 

[independent observer]

Hope people don't actually believe that he left the team in the middle of a playoff run because he's trying to save his marriage.

He left the hotel with security at the same time as they found the girl.

Well, no wonder he has security… if bad people are involved in Ukrainian girl trafficking… and this blew up in his room, I am sure someone wants revenenge… especially when so called bad people are involved…

I mean that is how it works with the mafia… I am not sure which problem is bigger… his wife or having some gangstas looking for you…

 

[dahrougem2]

All of this could have been avoided if he got an American hooker

Just tell her you want her to play a Russian. Find one that looks like Mila Kunis. Problem solved.

 

[Gruyeriev]

Hope people don't actually believe that he left the team in the middle of a playoff run because he's trying to save his marriage.

He left the hotel with security at the same time as they found the girl.

Is this fact? It seems like other stuff I read implied Nuke left in the middle of the night/early morning and he was not there when they went to go check on him and found the girl in the room. There seems to be some discrepancies between the information that has come out.

Also I have not seen a single reference to Nuke being found intoxicated.

Here is one from Seattle Times. Apparently his agent still is still in denial? Also note they claim Bednar says he has talked to Nuke…

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar cites personal reasons for Valeri Nichushkin’s absence after police report released

Bednar said he has spoken with Nichushkin but would not divulge his whereabouts or rule out a possible return to the team during the playoffs.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[Ceremony]

Has to be the substance abuse program.

Staying out of the lineup because of marital problems are unlikely. And we know for a fact there is no legal action against Nuke.

Really leaves rehab as the most likely.

I'm pretty sure teams need to announce when someone goes into that program, so I doubt it's that.

 

[Hmmm]

Did Colin Wilson go in to a program? I can't remember the Avs sayin anything about his situation but I could be wrong

 

[dahrougem2]

Did Colin Wilson go in to a program? I can't remember the Avs sayin anything about his situation but I could be wrong

Avs didn't say a peep lol

 

[Metallo]

I don't think he did abandon the team. I think this leave for personal reasons is being enforced by the team.

He's married and they found another woman, intoxicated, in his room. It's not my place to judge Nuke for that as it's none of my business. However, the optics are bad. It's not the kind of image the team is interested in promoting for their players. Right now, the team is hoping that everyone will lose interest, and all of this will eventually just blow over.

Respectfully, if the Avs sent him away because they are a bunch puritans then they are also dumb as rocks.

 

[Balthazar]

Did Colin Wilson go in to a program? I can't remember the Avs sayin anything about his situation but I could be wrong

Avs re-upped Wilson, he played 9 games on that new contract and then disappeared.

We didn't learn a thing until after his contract expired and he posted in the Players Tribune.

Either the Avs are unlucky or they just aren't good enough at detecting problems before signing new contracts.

 

[Avs9296]

I'm pretty sure teams need to announce when someone goes into that program, so I doubt it's that.

Avs won't announce shit in the middle of a playoff run.

 

[Hennessy]

Avs re-upped Wilson, he played 9 games on that new contract and then disappeared.

We didn't learn a thing until after his contract expired and he posted in the Players Tribune.

Either the Avs are unlucky or they just aren't good enough at detecting problems before signing new contracts.

As a fan I don't need to know every detail. But when it comes to guys like Helm or Landeskog or Wilson... Maybe some hints.

 

[avalanche_country]

Seems obvious at this point he’s in some sort of treatment. That’s good enough for me for now.

 

[Foppa2118]

I'm beginning to wonder if Bednar said it was a maintenance day because the guy didn't show.

"Maintenance day" is the catch all, of all catch all phrases in hockey.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

I am all for knowing nothing when a player enters the program if it’s just the drugs/drinking and impacting his job/game/life and the law outside of the drugs perhaps are at stake.

If the player however has gotten into something more morally sorted/grey area and/our outright crossed a line, that is where I as a paying fan demand answers.

The Avs saying its not discipline or legal related completely goes against what the Post and others are reporting. It’s the Franchise and it’s leaderships response that is “on trial” here to me, Nukes personal issues are his own to deal with in private.

If what the Post has said is true and Nuke was involved in any way, or even just partied with that group, he damn well better at least face some discipline from the team if not legal issues. And if he is and the Avs are lying about it just to avoid a playoff distraction and trying to sweep it under the rug. that is a fireable offense for Avs leadership.

That is why this is so frustrating as a fan. I want to know if the Avs are covering for a player that did illegal things or if they are helping a player recover from addictions. Of course both can be true, but if the legal stuff is involved, as a fan it completely changes how I view the Avs here and how they are handling it.

How can it not be a legal thing at this point? Fans deserve to know what they are or are not supporting at the organizational level.

A simple statement with some minor clarifying facts would go a long ways. The silence just makes Avs leadership look guilty of a coverup of bad.

 

[Ham Fist]

maybe they gave him a choice: rehab or you’re fired. who knows maybe this was his 3rd strike or something.

if they did give him the boot they must have thought it was worse for the team to have him around which is wild cause they really need him rn.

 

[Bonzai12]

How can it not be a legal thing at this point?

I watch a lot of Dateline, so I consider myself a well-seasoned expert here (sarcasm), but if there’s an investigation then nothings going to come out of it until there’s solid evidence either way. And (my guess) is that if the investigation is shaky, most organizations will do exactly as the Avs have done and not take a side either way. You want to support and back your players no matter what……… but you also don’t want to side with the player when they’ve done something horribly bad. I’m thinking the Avs just don’t know what happened yet, and they’re leaving it to the professionals (Cops) to make that call.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

I watch a lot of Dateline, so I consider myself a well-seasoned expert here (sarcasm), but if there’s an investigation then nothings going to come out of it until there’s solid evidence either way. And (my guess) is that if the investigation is shaky, most organizations will do exactly as the Avs have done and not take a side either way. You want to support and back your players no matter what……… but you also don’t want to side with the player when they’ve done something horribly bad. I’m thinking the Avs just don’t know what happened yet, and they’re leaving it to the professionals (Cops) to make that call.

I get that, but there is way to say slightly more without stepping in it completely.

Player taking time away to deal with personal something, blah blah blah, team is aware of investigation of blah blah blah. Team supports proper resolution of blah blah blah. More details later blah blah blah.

Or at the least, don’t say it’s not because of legal or discipline related reasons. Say he is out for personal reasons and the team will give more info when it’s available. The “it’s not for” statements are the things that bring it all into question.

 

[JLo217]

I hope Nuke gets better, but good the Avs find someone they can rely on.