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

[Gruyeriev]

I didn't realize there were people who still believed a word Bednar says.

Meh. Bednar is just doing his job. He’s the one who has to talk to the media regularly as part of his job. Can you imagine having to take all the heat on this stuff because the Avs are so tight lipped?

To me this was more about what the DNVR guys said. Who knows if they have good sources or not? As dumb as Dater is on his hockey insights he does/did have sources. I’m not sure he still does but most of these guys do.

 

[Bonzai12]

As many have stated. There are right ways and wrong ways of handling things.

I don't think a reasonable person who has any interest in the Avalanche as a fan can think this has been handled appropriately, regardless of what has actually happened.

I actually think it’s been handled well. They told everyone it was a personal matter, and they have chosen to protect their players privacy over blabbing everything to the media.

In the past year I have gone through some personal trials and tribulations with my family’s health matters, and I appreciate that my employer has maintained privacy and kept everything as normal as they possibly can.

I’ve read all the CBA stuff and I know it’s an entertainment business; but it’s obviously something outside the scope of performance enhancing drugs. If it was criminal, then yeah fans have a right to know but 1) criminal investigations take time and 2) the team stated immediately that there was no criminal investigation in the works. They are following the CBA to what’s negotiated. They don’t have any obligation to post any TMZ-type info that the fans want.

 

[MacKaRant]

Bednar said he’d be shocked if Val returned for the rest of the playoffs, or something to that extent, but again it’s Bednar so who knows.

I mean, Bednar knew that we were toast against Seattle, so it wasn't that much of a stretch to say he'd be out for the rest of the playoffs.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I didn't realize there were people who still believed a word Bednar says.

Are you actually saying he is lying when he says he hasn't talked to the trainers yet?

I can't believe it!!!!!!!!!!

 

[The Moops]

But it's apparently not criminal. And because of that, no, we don't have any "right to know" until Val decides to disclose it. It's no different than any of us doing something really (non criminally) dumb at a work retreat. I'd expect my employer to keep it confidential.

I mean you say that like rich people and athletes don't play by different rules than the rest of us. Are prostitution or drugs legal in Seattle? I'm sure if it was me in the room the police might re-think whether it was "criminal" or not.

 

[Pokecheque]

The thing that was most revelatory to me is that there were Denver Police officers (high-ranking too!) traveling with the team. I had no idea until this incident that was a thing.

 

[The Moops]

The thing that was most revelatory to me is that there were Denver Police officers (high-ranking too!) traveling with the team. I had no idea until this incident that was a thing.

Fixers

 

[Pokecheque]

Fixers

Yep. I knew fixers were a thing because of course they were, didn't quite know they wore badges.

 

[Chiarelli]

That is an odd situation having Denver police working for the Avs in Seattle

 

[The Moops]

That is an odd situation having Denver police working for the Avs in Seattle

Helps with "professional courtesies" when someone on the team does something stupid

 

[Pokecheque]

That is an odd situation having Denver police working for the Avs in Seattle

Ohhhh I bet it's far more commonplace than we think.

 

[MacKaRant]

The thing that was most revelatory to me is that there were Denver Police officers (high-ranking too!) traveling with the team. I had no idea until this incident that was a thing.

Source? I have a hard time believing they were actively on the Denver police force. Former police officers that have later moved on to the private sector to provide security and "fixing" services, seems more realistic to me.

 

[Toothless Legend]

They were likely moonlighting as private security guards. It's extremely hard to find qualified executive protection guards willing to travel for temporary/intermittent gigs who aren't active police officers. I imagine most sports teams do this.

 

[Drij]

I mean you say that like rich people and athletes don't play by different rules than the rest of us. Are prostitution or drugs legal in Seattle? I'm sure if it was me in the room the police might re-think whether it was "criminal" or not.

Having a hooker in your room isn't illegal. It's only illegal if you paid them for sex. You would have to prove that it happened.

 

[Gruyeriev]

Having a hooker in your room isn't illegal. It's only illegal if you paid them for sex. You would have to prove that it happened.

Technically that is true but with the passing of SESTA/FOSTA they take trafficking very serious. Just because he was a pro hockey player doesn’t mean he would be let off the hook. They have busted a number of local celebrities, politicians and even SPDs finest. The fact there is no investigation leads me to believe he can’t be involved in something that serious. But being drunk and caught with an escort in his room isn’t really something they would pursue.

Another thing that caught my attention is they constantly mention from the team side that it isn’t a discipline or legal isssue. The article I read in the Denver Gazette also says it wasn’t a health issue. I found that odd because to me rehab is a health issue but it’s just semantics.

So should we boo Nuke every time he touches the puck and throw beer cans, condoms and bags of coke on the ice?

Note: I wouldn’t really throw bags of coke on the ice. That would be a waste and expensive.

 

[cinchronicity]

That is an odd situation having Denver police working for the Avs in Seattle

My understanding is that the police presence started when Kadri was having issues with St. Louis fans, and probably seemed like a relatively cheap practice to maintain.

 

[Foppa2118]

But they are too chicken to tell us what they know, probably afraid of what the Avs will do to them. If they could ban Dater for saying the F-word they sure can ban them for revealing uncomfortable stuff.

Remember when Meghan was digging this story? Well her colleagues apparently learned new things so it's safe to assume that she knows that stuff too...yet not a single word about Nuke in weeks.

Or they're just wrong. I have a hard time believing the Avs knew Val was gonna come back in the playoffs, when CMac is still saying he "hopes" Val comes back next year.

I'm guessing they were still "hoping" he committed to the process so that "maybe" he could come back later in the playoffs, but somewhere along the telephone game for DNVR's sources that morphed into "Val was gonna come back in the playoffs."

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I actually think it’s been handled well. They told everyone it was a personal matter, and they have chosen to protect their players privacy over blabbing everything to the media.

In the past year I have gone through some personal trials and tribulations with my family’s health matters, and I appreciate that my employer has maintained privacy and kept everything as normal as they possibly can.

I’ve read all the CBA stuff and I know it’s an entertainment business; but it’s obviously something outside the scope of performance enhancing drugs. If it was criminal, then yeah fans have a right to know but 1) criminal investigations take time and 2) the team stated immediately that there was no criminal investigation in the works. They are following the CBA to what’s negotiated. They don’t have any obligation to post any TMZ-type info that the fans want.

You're not wrong.

But I do believe at some point, a little more explanation will be required as to why our top LW had to leave in the middle of the playoffs than "personal" reasons. I think that actually will come at the time that they announce he is returning to the lineup.

 

[Bonzai12]

You're not wrong.

But I do believe at some point, a little more explanation will be required as to why our top LW had to leave in the middle of the playoffs than "personal" reasons. I think that actually will come at the time that they announce he is returning to the lineup.

That’s what I’m hoping for too - I hope there’s a presser with Bednar/Sakic and Val both in attendance.

It’ll be super interesting how the players all react to this. We will prob never know when but at some point he’s gonna have to get in front of all of them and tell them he screwed up. If he can’t then he certainly shouldn’t be making the salary he is on this squad.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

That’s what I’m hoping for too - I hope there’s a presser with Bednar/Sakic and Val both in attendance.

It’ll be super interesting how the players all react to this. We will prob never know when but at some point he’s gonna have to get in front of all of them and tell them he screwed up. If he can’t then he certainly shouldn’t be making the salary he is on this squad.

Well, some of our players (EJ at least) made no bones about his feelings towards Duchene wanting out. I'd imagine if he's still around we'd all know his general feelings at least.

My personal gut feeling, if he did go to rehab and has fully embraced a sober lifestyle, then no matter what put him into rehab (the team or himself) the players will welcome him back and support him in his recovery.

If he was forced into the program and isn't taking it seriously, I would imagine the players would be pissed and it may be impossible to hide it.

 

[shadow1]

The DNVR crew have been wrong so often that even if they were right in this case, there's no basis to believe them.

And there really is no basis to believe them. The last time anyone saw Nichushkin, he was on the phone ordering an adapter for a Hoover Max Extract Pressure Pro Model 60. A week ago, Colorado's GM talked about Nichushkin's status on the team in past tense, and then said he "hopes" Nichushkin will be a part of the team moving forward.

That is highly contradictory to DNVR hearing the player was ready to suit up in a potential second round matchup. That's what their site does - throw out bogus information to attract an audience, because fans love rumors and "inside" information.

 

[Bonzai12]

That is highly contradictory to DNVR hearing the player was ready to suit up in a potential second round matchup. That's what their site does - throw out bogus information to attract an audience, because fans love rumors and "inside" information.

Just was watching a documentary on Hulk Hogan of all people - but it was explaining how a website called Gawker (tmz type site in the 2010’s) gave out bonuses to all the company employees based on hits/views. That’s likely what all these media companies do now. I guess it’s really not about quality/factual news stories anymore.

 

[niwotsblessing]

If the Ukrainian gal had no passport and was brought into this country by "bad men" then the FBI would be handling the investigation, not the Seattle PD. And the FBI isn't talking.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

That’s what I’m hoping for too - I hope there’s a presser with Bednar/Sakic and Val both in attendance.

It’ll be super interesting how the players all react to this. We will prob never know when but at some point he’s gonna have to get in front of all of them and tell them he screwed up. If he can’t then he certainly shouldn’t be making the salary he is on this squad.

I don’t think anyone inside that room was really surprised by this incident.

 

[The Moops]

Just was watching a documentary on Hulk Hogan of all people - but it was explaining how a website called Gawker (tmz type site in the 2010’s) gave out bonuses to all the company employees based on hits/views. That’s likely what all these media companies do now. I guess it’s really not about quality/factual news stories anymore.

The downfall of Gawker cracks me up. Not only did they ignore a judge's order what like 3 times to remove Hogan's sex tape, they outed the billionaire who funded the lawsuit against them that drove them to bankruptcy. Short term gain really bit them in the ass.