Val Nichushkin might be the most underrated player in all of hockey. In fact, I consider him somewhat of an anomaly.
You would be hard pressed to find a player quite like Val Nichushkin. He is extremely unique in his play style. A player that is huge (6’4” / 210 lbs.) but can skate with the best of them. If you watch Avalanche games at all, it is common to see Nichushkin receive the puck in the neutral zone, fly down the ice, and cut towards the goalie to create a scoring chance. He pushes the play offensively as a winger which is extremely rare.
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Nichushkin uses his size to his advantage. He is one of the top players in the league in terms of net front battles. Nichushkin was on pace for 40 goals this season before entering the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program. The vast majority of his goals come from right in front of the net through deflections and rebounds. Although he is not overly physical, Nichushkin uses his size to win battles along the boards and forechecks like no other. He doesn’t give defenders any room to breathe when they attempt to retrieve pucks. That combination is simply overwhelming for defenders especially when the playoffs roll around.
Nichushkin is great defensively. He is able to impact the game on the defensive side the way wingers typically can’t. Perhaps, Mark Stone is the only other winger who influences the defensive side of the puck the way Nichushkin can. Nichushkin is so good in his own zone that he is mentioned in Selke conversation as the league’s top defensive forward even though that award has historically gone to centers.
How important is Nichushkin to the Avalanche? In his absence the Avalanche went 8-7-2 in the 17 games he missed. I don’t think that is a coincidence!
When you talk about players that are simply irreplaceable, there are only a few that come to mind. McDavid, MacKinnon, Makar, Matthews, and maybe a few more. I think Nichuskin belongs on that list as well. Don’t misunderstand, Nichuskin is not the same caliber player as those mentioned above. But the combination of his size and skill set is irreplaceable.
Avalanche fans should be absolutely thrilled that Nichushkin has been cleared to resume practicing after receiving help through the NHL Assistance Program. I wouldn’t be surprised if the team goes on a run here in the near future and Nichushkin will be a major reason why!
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