The National Hockey League (NHL) was facing questions about an incident involving Russian forward Valery Nichushkin, who plays for the Colorado Avalanche. The event reportedly occurred at the end of April inside a hotel where Nichushkin was staying during a playoff matchup. According to sources, a woman who appeared intoxicated was found in the same room where the player had been sitting. The league indicated that it was not pursuing an internal investigation into Nichushkin, while Colorado’s organization publicly stated that Nichushkin was free to play and had the right to participate in the games, a stance echoed by journalist Elliott Friedman on social media and confirmed in one report from the Daily. Its details were discussed as part of broader coverage of the Stanley Cup series between the Avalanche and the Seattle Kraken. (Daily)
Seattle Police Department released body camera footage showing Officers Ryan Beecroft and Joshua Knight arriving at the hotel as the playoff series against the Kraken unfolded in April. Hotel staff sought to locate Nichushkin, and during the inquiry they learned that a 28-year-old woman named Irina had been discovered in the vicinity. The report described the player as being heavily intoxicated at the time in the hotel room. The team physician, Dr. Bradley Changstrom, determined Nichushkin appeared too impaired to leave the hotel on his own, prompting a 911 call to secure assistance. In interviews with officers, the woman claimed Ukrainian birth and prior residence in Russia before moving to the United States. She also stated that she had received a passport in the name of the man who was with her that night. Subsequently, she suggested investigators review the hotel’s CCTV footage. (Seattle Police Department; corroborating accounts reported by Daily)
As a consequence of the events, Nichushkin did not participate in Game 3 of the first round of the NHL playoffs with the Seattle Kraken and had not appeared in subsequent games for the team. The woman who had been found intoxicated in Nichushkin’s room criticized him, labeling him a liar and a bad personal choice in public statements afterward. The episode became a focal point for discussions about conduct, accountability, and the responsibilities of players during high-stakes postseason play, with investigators and teams balancing legal considerations and competitive imperatives. (Daily; corroborating updates)