The Colorado Avalanche has been without Valeri Nichushkin for almost a week due to undisclosed "personal reasons." Nichushkin, a Russian forward who signed an eight-year $49 million contract last summer, was named in an incident report from Seattle Police Department regarding a crisis situation that occurred at the Avalanche's hotel last Saturday, hours before Game 3 against the Kraken.
According to the police report, a woman named Irina, who was heavily intoxicated, was located in Nichushkin's hotel room by Avalanche employees. The Avs team doctor, Bradley G. Changstrom, called 911 as he believed Irina was too intoxicated to have left the hotel in a ride-share or cab service.
Changstrom reported that Irina hit him, but he did not want to press charges. Irina told police that someone she described as a "bad person" took her passport. She was detained for being a danger to others and was taken away in an ambulance.
Nichushkin left the hotel with team security, and his whereabouts are unknown. He missed Game 3 and hasn't played in Games 4 or 5, and it's unclear if he will return for Game 6. The Avalanche trail the Kraken 3-2 in the series and face elimination on Friday.
