Report: Intoxicated woman found in Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin’s hotel room

A severely intoxicated woman was found in the Seattle hotel room of Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin hours before Game 3 last Saturday afternoon, according to a police report obtained Thursday by the Denver Post.

The woman required transport to a local hospital after being evaluated by an Avalanche team doctor. Nichushkin left the team shortly thereafter and has missed Games 3, 4 and 5 of Colorado’s first-round series because of what the Avalanche have labeled as “personal reasons.”

Mystery has shrouded Nichushkin’s absence in the days following and the Seattle Police Department report has done little to crystallize Nichushkin’s involvement, if any. He has not returned to the team and is not expected to play again this series.

The report did not specify whether Nichushkin was also under the influence. In fact, the Post reported the police entry did not distinguish whether the 28-year-old woman, who told police she was from Russia, was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Nichushkin, 28, was not charged with a crime. No one involved in the incident was charged with a crime and the Post reported there is no criminal investigation or alleged criminal activity.

The report said the intoxicated woman struck the Avalanche team doctor, but he declined to press charges. According to the Post, the police recorded the woman as saying she “should never have come to the United States and that some guy took her passport and he was a bad person.”

Nichushkin did not participate in the Avalanche’s regularly scheduled morning skate that day at Climate Pledge Arena, with coach Jared Bednar saying then that Nichushkin was having a “maintenance day.” It was unclear whether Nichushkin missed the skate, possibly necessitating the Avalanche to check on Nichushkin in his room at the Four Seasons Seattle. Nichushkin signed an eight-year, $49 million contract with Colorado on July 11, just days after helping the Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup since 2001.