Avalanche's Valeri Nichushkin speaks, says little about Seattle incident: “Let's close it”

Valeri Nichushkin spoke publicly Thursday for the first time since leaving the Avalanche under murky circumstances during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but offered few details about the incident in his Seattle hotel room. “I know you guys want to find something there, but it's nothing really interesting,” Nichushkin said, referring to his extended absence from Colorado's first-round playoff series against the Kraken as a “family reason.” Nichushkin did not play in the final five games of Colorado's opening-round loss to Seattle.