On Monday, Valeri Nichushkin agreed to an eight-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche. Financial information was kept private.
Avalanche made it a priority this offseason to sign “Val” to a long-term contract because he would have become one of the greatest sought-after forwards on the marketplace. Val is a gutsy winger who’s really big, sturdy, quick, and faster on the puck. He can move up or down the lineup and play on the first line alongside our best players. He participates in the power play, penalty kill, and any other situation you require.
He puts a lot of effort on and off the ice in the gym, and he’s a great teammate overall. He is a key member of the lineup and a major factor in our Stanley Cup victory.
In 62 games this season, Nichushkin set NHL career highs in goals (25), assists (27), and points (52). In 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games, he recorded 15 points (9 goals, 6 assists), helping Colorado win the title for the first time since 2001.
Nichushkin, who the Dallas Stars chose in the tenth overall slot of the first round of the 2013 NHL Draft, has 174 points (71 goals, 103 assists) in 405 games for the Avalanche and Stars, as well as 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 62 postseason contests.
As per the latest sports news, the Avalanche announced on Monday that right-wing Valeri Nichushkin had been re-signed to an eight-year contract, keeping him as part of their Stanley Cup-winning roster.
Nichushkin’s contract with Colorado runs through the 2029–30 season, thanks to the agreement. The total transaction value is $49 million. He has played in 405 regular-season games throughout his seven-year NHL career, including four seasons with the Stars and three with Colorado. He has scored 71 goals and 103 assists.
The contract has a no-movement clause for the first three years, which becomes a 12-team no-trade clause for the following five years. This past season, Nichushkin blossomed for the Avalanche, tallying a career-high 25 goals and 27 assists during the regular season. He maintained his strong play in the playoffs, scoring nine goals and dishing out six assists for 15 points in 20 games to win the Stanley Cup.
This past season, the 27-year-two-year old’s $5 million contract ended.
Similarly, the decision made by Malkin, who will soon turn 36, could signal the end of an era in Pittsburgh, where he and Sidney Crosby jointly won the Stanley Cup three times. Malkin, who will go on the market on Wednesday, immediately rises to the status of one of the more well-known players. Malkin has scored 20 goals or more 13 times.
The Penguins are trying to balance their payroll as Malkin makes his decision, and last week they re-signed defenseman Kris Letang to a six-year, $36.6 million deal.
Unlike Letang, Malkin wasn’t as close to a deal as the Penguins’ general manager Ron Hextall claimed last week.
