Athletistic / Hockey “Colorado” ripped “Tampa” in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals (7-0) and is a stone’s throw from the NHL’s main trophy. Doubled because of Russian forward “Avelanche” Valery Nichushkin, who holds his career-best overseas playoffs. So far, it is our compatriot who acts as the main weapon of the “avalanches” in the main series of the year – Nichushkin scored 4 (3 + 1) points in the first two matches. A goal and an assist in overtime in the first game, and two goals in the second. Today, few people remember that until recently there was a long black streak in the career of a talented hockey player. With her diligence and desire to be better, her total dedication to every shift, Val has proven that it is possible not only to go from the main disappointment to the main character, but also to completely erase from the memory of the fans even what seemed impossible to erase.

In February 2013, the head coach of the Chelyabinsk “Tractor”, the legendary Valery Belousov, at the post-match press conference after the defeat of “Barys” (3:5), said an amazing phrase : “Our leader is Nichushkin. ” What is the strangeness of this sentence, if today Valéry is one of the leaders of “Colorado”? The fact is that at that time he was only 17 years old. And for you to understand even better, Traktor in the 2012-2013 season was one of the strongest teams in the KHL and eventually reached the final of the Gagarin Cup. But the great Valery Konstantinovich already saw in Nichushkin a “nugget” then and did not hesitate to give him such a strong lead. The legendary coach noted the excellent power shot, the similarity of play with Malkin and predicted a great future for the then teenager.

After that season at Traktor, Nichushkin went to the NHL, where he was drafted by Dallas, and quickly established several personal accomplishments. With his first league goal against Ottawa on November 3, 2013, he became the Stars’ youngest scorer in 26 years. And on December 7 of the same year, the young Russian scored 4 (1+3) points in a game against Philadelphia, repeating the franchise record for points per game among hockey players who had spent their first season in the NHL. Val quickly entered the top three “stars”, where, together with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, he literally scored points and became the club’s leader in terms of utility.

However, everything was blocked by a hip injury, due to which Nichushkin had to miss almost the entire 2014-2015 season. In November 2014, he underwent surgery, and in just one season the Russian played just eight NHL games, in which he was a shadow of his former self. .

While still a very young hockey player, Val lost confidence, was no longer as productive and fell to the lower levels. The fact that veteran Sergei Gonchar was no longer in Dallas, which greatly helped Nichushkin adjust after moving to North America, also played a role. Valery’s third season in the NHL failed, after which he had to return to CSKA.

After restarting in the KHL, Nichushkin returned to North America two years later as a much more mature hockey player, and now it looked like he would definitely return to his old performance, but it all turned out even more. nightmarish than it was before returning. in Russia. In the 2018-2019 season, as part of the Dallas, the forward set an anti-record, becoming the first hockey player in NHL history who could not score a single goal in 50 games without score penalty minutes. I think it goes without saying that after such a performance, the Stars offered the player a waiver draft, subsequently buying out his contract.

After signing a one-year contract with Colorado in the summer of 2019, Nichushkin couldn’t reach the opposing goal in the first two months of the regular season, and his terrifying scoreless streak has already reached 91 games. . However, all bad things come to an end. On November 23, 2019, Valeriy scored a goal against Toronto.

You have to understand that all the problems that Nichushkin had to face at the start in the best league in the world were exclusively in the field of psychology, because at that time Val was still a very young player. While mature hockey players are well aware that recovery from injury later takes time to return to its old playing condition, and it is enough to work hard, youngsters begin to get nervous and perceive this situation. too painfully. We must regain confidence, and everything will return to normal. After throwing the long-awaited puck into the “Toronto” gates, Nichushkin burst. In the rest of the season, he scored 12 more goals for a total of 27 (13 assists, 14 points), which helped him extend his contract with the Avalanches for another two years and a cap of 2.5 millions of dollars.

Over the past three seasons with Colorado under Jared Bednar, Nichushkin has evolved into an elite power forward. His forecheck is a real weapon that has helped the Avalanche more than once achieve the desired result. Nichushkin – wagon. Not only is he a sharp power forward, with a strong, accurate shot and excellent skating, but he also regularly comes out in the minority. It is no coincidence that Jared Bednar, even before Val had acquired such a phenomenal form, transferred him to the first link to Landeskog and McKinnon, as if the spirit of the legendary Valery Konstantinovich appeared to him in a dream and he said: “My friend, do you need a cut? So know: “Your leader is Nichushkin!” The Avalanche mentor took the advice of the illustrious coach, and in this moment, the forward Russian is enjoying his best playoffs of his overseas career.

You can see how eagerly Val works every shift and derives real pleasure not only from the fact that he has become one of Colorado’s most powerful leaders, but from the fact that he has finally overcome all his ” demons,” which at one point literally stuck to his growing body. Nichushkin won, first of all, in his internal struggle. Sometimes it’s much more important than the trophies.

However, one does not interfere with the other, does it? Two more stages, “Colorado” with the coveted cup.

Pavel Novikov, Athletistic