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

[John Mandalorian]

Whatever happened there or is happening right now (we will find out soon enough), an addiction, drugs, whatever....

One thing stands out: He let his teammates down. Period.

And i dont want to to go to that circus by the start of training camp. Imagine Val showing up on the first day and all we talk about is Seattle and him forced to leave his team.

No thanks.

Did you see his ankle/foot after the SC finals? It was like a grapefruit. These guys aren’t robots. You have to take the bad with the good and vice versa.

 

[Grigowski]

Did you see his ankle/foot after the SC finals? It was like a grapefruit. These guys aren’t robots. You have to take the bad with the good and vice versa.

I saw it. But we are talking about April 2023, not June 2022.

You cant do that shit on gameday, Game 3., 1st round playoffs. Your team allready running on low gas.

I dont care at this point if its drugs, pain killers or menthal health. I hope he gets all the help he needs and recovers.

But, pulling this shit on gameday in the playoffs, hours before puck drop in an important game is nuts. and his ankle should not be the excuse for this. And yes, they are no robots, and thankfully so.

I think this team had enough of the "bads" all season long. Landy probably gone forever, injury after injury, a GM shitting the bed at the TDL.... If everything works against you and you still keep fighting the last thing you need is one of your teammates going crazy in Seattle.

Thats my personal take on this. And the AVS better enlighten this saga because no one wants this distraction in september again.

 

[John Mandalorian]

I saw it. But we are talking about April 2023, not June 2022.

You cant do that shit on gameday, Game 3., 1st round playoffs. Your team allready running on low gas.

I dont care at this point if its drugs, pain killers or menthal health. I hope he gets all the help he needs and recovers.

But, pulling this shit on gameday in the playoffs, hours before puck drop in an important game is nuts. and his ankle should not be the excuse for this. And yes, they are no robots, and thankfully so.

I think this team had enough of the "bads" all season long. Landy probably gone forever, injury after injury, a GM shitting the bed at the TDL.... If everything works against you and you still keep fighting the last thing you need is one of your teammates going crazy in Seattle.

Thats my personal take on this. And the AVS better enlighten this saga because no one wants this distraction in september again.

You’re taking a lot for granted. It’s possible/likely that Nichushkins 2023 post season was part of the cost of his 2022 post season. If you’re standing in 2022, you’d choose the cup in 2022 every time, or would you not?

 

[henchman21]

I’m in the crowd that this happening on game day is way beyond acceptable. There might be reasons or excuses… but if you watch the whole videos, you see the team is literally trying to leave for the rink at the end.

When we’re talking bad teammates, like in the other thread with Miller… this is a prime example of being a bad teammate. You don’t do this shit on game day.

 

[SB]

I mean, if it's truly addiction, time of day, day of week, whatever, doesn't matter anymore. If he is sick, he's not making the decisions to let down the team. His illness is.

 

[henchman21]

I mean, if it's truly addiction, time of day, day of week, whatever, doesn't matter anymore. If he is sick, he's not making the decisions to let down the team. His illness is.

It is a reason or an excuse, but no matter, it is being a bad teammate. Both can be true.

 

[Grigowski]

You’re taking a lot for granted. It’s possible/likely that Nichushkins 2023 post season was part of the cost of his 2022 post season. If you’re standing in 2022, you’d choose the cup in 2022 every time, or would you not?

Of course i take the cup (it might be the one and only this group or core will ever get). And no, i dont take anything for granted. I know what players sacrifice for that dream, an i have nothing but respect for this (that includes Nuke too, btw). They are all human beings.
But to bring up the cup last year as an excuse or justification for this behavior in Seattle nearly a year later is lame. And I dont mean it against you personally, just to be clear.

Again: We are probably (!!) talking about partying with a hooker (with a background too) on a maintenance day (i´m pretty sure that maintenance day should have been used to rest and rest the ankle) and getting escorted from the hotel and team just when your teammates leave for a very important game 3 in the playoffs. And to me it seems the team had or has to cover up something in that process too. I dont want to throw Nuke under the bus or say he is a bad person overall, and i really hope he is getting all the help he needs and comes back ready again because he is a damn good player. But he let his teammates down on this one. Thats how i see it. And i´m pretty sure his teammates saw it that way too. How often are we hearing players talking about the importance of team chemistry, especially in the playoffs.

Look. i really dont care what the players are doing in their free time. IF they want to party with hookers, so be it. Whatever,. Their personal life is none of my or our business. As long its not criminal. But the moment this things affect their play on the ice or have an impact on the team, the party is over.

And i´m pretty sure Mac or others on this team dont want this distraction going into the first day of training camp either. And the sooner the AVS clarify this matter, the better. Thats just my take on this.

 

[Sea Eagles]

Nuke was a warrior for us on the ice. Unfortunately, life happens off the ice in these players life's adventures. I really hope no-one is judging him. No-one is perfect, and we all learn from mistakes (if they are made).

We all need to look in the mirror sometimes, and understand people make choices. Nuke will bounce back from whatever this is, a better person, a better player, and appreciate what life has given him. He has my full support.

 

[henchman21]

Nuke was a warrior for us on the ice. Unfortunately, life happens off the ice in these players life's adventures. I really hope no-one is judging him. No-one is perfect, and we all learn from mistakes (if they are made).

We all need to look in the mirror sometimes, and understand people make choices. Nuke will bounce back from whatever this is, a better person, a better player, and appreciate what life has given him. He has my full support.

I’m totally with you on the grace and compassion side of things. Nuke though has to want to get better, seek help, and stay clean. So the absolutes of will… are way too early to call. Sadly addiction in incredible powerful and relapse happens at a high rate. Nuke does have the support system to avoid it if he chooses. Whether he does or not remains to be seen.

 

[Mr Zappalanche]

I am sorry but I cant be so full of understanding like some of you for a guy who is paid millions of dollars for playing hockey and he totally f***s his team in the most crucial moment because he felt like he needs to party with a hooker or whatever the f*** he did. Every single one of us mortals here would be fired on the spot for doing much less than he did.

 

[The Abusement Park]

The editing of that video is pretty disingenuous in that it implies Val is the one who took her passport. Clearly she's referring to an actual pimp/trafficker. Also why tf would she even have brought her passport to bang a client?

IMO the video is telling in essentially confirming some of the speculation around Val having substance issues. The conversation with the team doctor strongly points to that within the context of the situation. If it's prescription drug addiction and nothing else sinister/illegal on his part then I really empathize with him.

I feel like people vastly underestimate how addictive some pharmaceutical drugs are since they are "legal/safe". If this is resultant of an addiction developed as a result of playing through severe pain for a very long period, then I'm disappointed in the judgement and care of the medical staff.

I mean the poor girl can barely speak english. The fact that no one thought to to try and get a translator for her is pretty wild and she clearly can't say what she wants. Granted how intoxicated she is also doesn't help.

 

[SB]

It is a reason or an excuse, but no matter, it is being a bad teammate. Both can be true.

Yes indeed. Definitely isn't being a good teammate. But he proved what a good teammate he was last year, so there is a reason it changed, and because that reason probably stems from his will to be a good teammate last season, I have a hard time being too terribly judgmental.

 

[dahrougem2]

I am sorry but I cant be so full of understanding like some of you for a guy who is paid millions of dollars for playing hockey and he totally f***s his team in the most crucial moment because he felt like he needs to party with a hooker or whatever the f*** he did. Every single one of us mortals here would be fired on the spot for doing much less than he did.

@ Dennis Rodman.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

It is a reason or an excuse, but no matter, it is being a bad teammate. Both can be true.

Absolutely. As a friend of Bill's, there is damn good reason step 8 is about making amends.

 

[Chiarelli]

I mean, if it's truly addiction, time of day, day of week, whatever, doesn't matter anymore. If he is sick, he's not making the decisions to let down the team. His illness is.

This. None of you know anything about substance abuse if you think it takes breaks from work and important life events.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

This. None of you know anything about substance abuse if you think it takes breaks from work and important life events.

Oh, it absolute affects everything. However, the fact that someone has an illness is still not excuse. That is why most rehabs programs involve a step about making amends or at least seeking forgiveness and offering honest apologies for the pain and suffering caused to others.

 

[The Abusement Park]

This. None of you know anything about substance abuse if you think it takes breaks from work and important life events.

I mean both things can be true.

 

[John Mandalorian]

It’s funny how some can be so dedicated to rushing to classify things and making things black and white when judging others. But then when describing certain aspects of a player, they use vague terms like “solid”. There’s a certain hypocrisy in that.

 

[Markster]

First Landy then Nuke, what’s next, they gonna discover that MacK is part of a Colombian drug cartel?

It's an Iowa chickpea cartel actually.

 

[Mr Zappalanche]

@ Dennis Rodman.

He always showed up when it mattered.

 

[dahrougem2]

He always showed up when it mattered.

True, but he also did all the partying in the world because he felt like it.

We don't know if Nichushkin has an addiction yet or not.

 

[the_fan]

Bettman just said Nichushkin situation has been handled and he’s eligible to play.

Lock this thread up

 

[LTCPain75]

 

[Cousin Eddie]

True, but he also did all the partying in the world because he felt like it.

We don't know if Nichushkin has an addiction yet or not.

 

[the_fan]

Now all we need is news that Landy can play hockey again