Seattle police release bodycam video of a hotel incident with Avalanche star Nichushkin, woman
By: Body cam footage from the incident involving ado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has been released, shedding some light on the situation that caused him to miss several playoff games. The video reveals an intoxicated woman, who claims her passport and doents were taken by someone she refers to as a "bad person."
The footage shows the woman strapped to a stretcher in an ambulance outside the hotel. She repeatedly states that the person she was with is responsible for her predicament, but never identifies them by name. She insists that the individual is "crazy" and advises the officer not to believe them.
Although Nichushkin is not seen in the footage, another officer speaks with the Avalanche team physician, Bradley Changstrom, who called for emergency medical services. Portions of the conversation regarding Nichushkin were redacted due to privacy laws protecting medical and mental health information.
An ofduty Denver Police officer, Lt. Todd Fuller, who was traveling with the team as a security guard, informs the Seattle Police officer that there was no criminal activity involved and characterizes the situation as more of a detox issue. Changstrom explains that the woman was clearly intoxicated and incapable of caring for herself, which led to the decision to call EMS instead of an Uber.
Changstrom further discloses that he and other team staff members were attempting to relocate the woman to a separate room. He also seeks permission from the officer to share confidential information about Nichushkin's medical health, although the audio is once again redacted.
The ado Avalanche responded to the released footage by reiterating their previous statement that Nichushkin was away from the team for personal reasons, and declined to provide further comment on the matter.
Valeri Nichushkin's promising NHL career faced setbacks due to injuries early on. After an impressive rookie season with the Dallas Stars in 2013-14, he battled groin and hip injuries, eventually undergoing surgery in 2014. Limited to only eight games in the following season, Nichushkin bounced back in 2015-16 with 29 points.
He then signed a contract with CSKA Moscow in the KHL but returned to the Stars in 2018. After being bought out by Dallas, Valeri Nichushkin joined the ado Avalanche in 2019. He achieved career-high numbers and played a crucial role in the Avalanche's Stanley Cup victory during the 21-22 season.