Valeri Nichushkin
R · #43
· Columbus Blue Jackets
· 6'4" · 210 lb
· L-handed
· 31 yrs
· Draft: 2013 Rd 1 (#10 overall)
Compare with
Season
72
Games
17–32–49
G–A–P
160
Shots · 10.6%
53 / 45
Hits / Blocks
Contract
Cap hit
$6,125,000
Term2022-23 → 2029-30 (8 yrs)
ExpiryUFA 2030
Clauses2022-23: NMC; 2023-24: NMC; 2024-25: NMC; 2025-26: M-NTC; 2026-27: M-NTC; 2027-28: M-NTC; 2028-29: M-NTC; 2029-30: M-NTC
Signed at age27
Signing GMChris MacFarland
AgentMark Gandler & Todd Diamond
Advanced · 2025-26
Corsi %
57.6%94th
xGF% (5v5)
58.2%93rd
Points/60 (5v5)
2.3074th
Goals Above Expected
-2.810th
Shooting %
10.6%
Ice Time / Game
17:44
Offensive-zone starts
50%
Takeaways / Giveaways
23 / 59
Archetype — how these are computed →
Playmaker
A distributor who creates offense for teammates. Judged on the volume and rate of assists, not on the share of points that are assists.
Why he earned it — his rank vs the league
Assists
32
74th
Assists per 60
1.89
78th
Points per 60
2.89
69th
Two-Way Forward
A forward trusted at both ends — solid offense and genuine chance suppression. A balanced game rather than an elite specialty.
Goals per 60
1.00
52th
HD suppression
8.6/60
60th
Corsi%
57.6%
96th
All fit scores
Fit scores run 0–100: how strongly this player matches each mold, blended from his league
percentiles in that archetype's key stats (the bars above show those percentiles — e.g.
"98th" = better than 98% of the league). A player only earns a tag when the score clears
that archetype's minimum floor — full formulas in
the archetypes guide.
Shots On Goal
By zone · shooting % vs his average · 2025-26Slot
13 G on 65 shots
20%Shooting
Shooting %
Below his avg
Around
Above his avg
+6 shots (0 goals) from beyond the mapped zones
160
Total Shots On Goal
Goals
17
Shooting %
10.6%
Shots / GP
2.2
xG
16.7
Shot Danger Mix
High danger15%
Medium danger37%
Low danger48%
Top Scoring Zones
01
20%
Slot
13 G on 65 shots
02
6%
High Slot
1 G on 16 shots
03
9%
Crease
1 G on 11 shots
Career
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | Playoff GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | NHL | Avalanche | 72 | 17 | 32 | 49 | 12 |
| 2024-25 | NHL | Avalanche | 43 | 21 | 13 | 34 | 7 |
| 2023-24 | NHL | Avalanche | 54 | 28 | 25 | 53 | 8 |
| 2022-23 | NHL | Avalanche | 53 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 2 |
| 2021-22 | NHL | Avalanche | 62 | 25 | 27 | 52 | 20 |
| 2020-21 | NHL | Avalanche | 55 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 10 |
| 2019-20 | NHL | Avalanche | 65 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 15 |
| 2018-19 | NHL | Stars | 57 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | EHT | Russia | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 2017-18 | KHL | CSKA Moskva | 50 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 19 |
| 2016-17 | WC | Russia | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 2016-17 | EHT | Russia | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | — |
| 2016-17 | KHL | CSKA Moskva | 36 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 9 |
| 2015-16 | NHL | Stars | 79 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 10 |
| 2014-15 | AHL | Texas | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | — |
| 2014-15 | NHL | Stars | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2013-14 | Olympics | Russia | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 2013-14 | NHL | Stars | 79 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 6 |
| 2012-13 | KHL | Chelyabinsk | 18 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 25 |
| 2012-13 | Russia-2 | Chelmet | 15 | 8 | 2 | 10 | — |
| 2012-13 | Russia-Jr. | Chelyabinsk Jr. | 9 | 4 | 4 | 8 | — |
| 2011-12 | Russia-Jr. | Chelyabinsk Jr. | 38 | 4 | 6 | 10 | — |