In “The NHL’s MOST HATED Russian Who Won the Stanley Cup” we break down the chaotic rise of Valeri Nichushkin, from being benched and bought out in Dallas to becoming a playoff beast in Colorado, only to land back in controversy after a mysterious hotel incident that stunned the hockey world.
👇 Comment below: Can Nichushkin still redeem his legacy?
👍 Like the video if you’ve ever seen a player go from forgotten to feared
🔔 Subscribe before I go bar down, vanish from the hotel, and leave your season in shambles, bud.
Join the Skates & Scars Crew
We pour everything into these videos and way too much caffeine.
If you want to help keep it alive, join the Skates & Scars crew. 🏒
Every dollar goes right back into the channel to help us tell more stories that matter.
📬 Business inquiries: ssinc.channels@gmail.com
#valerinichushkin #nhl #nhlstories
46 Comments
In no way has Nikushkin ever been called the most hated player in the NHL, nor was he ever in the running.
Nuke is not the most hated, he's arguably the most human player in the NHL.
I think Val should have won the Conn Smythe over Makar…
Choo! Choo!
Teams still draft “projects” these days, but with the salary cap and entry-level contracts, teams give up on them faster than in the 90s 2000s
What a ridiculous video! We’re all human and we’re not perfect. We all make mistakes, even if it’s more than a couple. This is where we find ourselves though, and finally grasp the true importance of life, and the beauty in it. Even if it takes falling down and getting back up time and time again. Which is why you never give up on people. You choose to see the best in them no matter how hard it might be, and that is what Colorado did for Val. And that is why he’s still one of our most VALuable players. I guarantee you no one hates him in Colorado, and we’ve forgiven him and moved on from all that hoopla a long time ago. Those incidents are over two years old btw. And since then he’s been the same trusted Val, hardworking never taking a shift off. We don’t have the season we’re having without him. #GoAvsGo
I like this kid. I am a Caps fan but I like to watch him play. I really don't care about the haters the past is the past. Dallas was dumb.Just look who they fired last year and hired lol
NHL is a league run by country bumpkin Canadian cops and is for the country cops. They will never give up anything, never give up one of their own and will cover everything up until they can’t. Which is when sheet goes haywire like the juniors scandal. I hope the whole operation is dismantled and all these fascists running the thing are gone.
Not like the girl is a saint or I’m standing up for her. No, it’s the fact that no journo dares to investigate what is going on is what makes it so NHL. 500 years from now we’ll know of many scandals and everyone is involved except perhaps Crosby ))
You're promoting a harmful ignorance of addiction with this video. I hope it's worth the likes.
hes a good player. he assaulted a woman. doesn't make him magically good.
I'm a huge Colorado fan and nobody hates big Val here. What he put his body through to get us a Cup is remarkable, and the painkillers he was likely under just to play/recoup may be why he struggled in subsequent seasons. Addiction is a huge burden and we just want him to be his best self for himself and his family.
Val is absolutely loved in Colorado, Stars and fans may hate him but not Denver! Can't even imagine playing on that foot, he is incredible!
I THINK THIS MUST BE AI. CLICKBAIT FOR SURE.
No one hates him in Colorado. He had human issues. Avs fans stood by him. This channel is total BS. If you are looking at Russian players add Kucherov, Vasy, Ovi, all who have won a Stanley Cup, who are Russian. I won't even watch the entire video. You did this for clicks.
As a fan of the Avalanche my wish for Big Val is that all of the demons are behind him. The Avs are a much better team with him on the ice. He is the hardest working player on the team, and the longer he honors his contract the more trust I have in him. Hated? No way!
Love him in Colorado but that thumbnail is crazy lol
Val is a beast.
Potentially the worst video cover I’ve ever seen, congrats
Big Val is a classy guy, regardless of the incidents, love that guy!!!!
On his way to another cup this year.
My favorite Av, our secret weapon.
#13 ❤
I’ve seen him around town a few times. Always humble and extremely polite. Exact opposite of a coke fiend hooker collector. If anything he probably was addicted to painkillers from his broken foot and that’s about it
he was never hated in CO
Val is loved in Colorado, cut the crap.
Ovi with the ethnic slurs he's made is the most hated. Ovi is Putin's NHL delegate.
Kaprizov next! 🙌🙌
As many Coloradans have mentioned, it wasn't hate on Nichushkin here. My personal opinion was that people here felt it was sad what he went through and wished him the best to get healthy and return to the Avs program he is such a great fit for. I feel confident he is continuing to get the professional help he needs as it appears, from watching him during games, he is very focused on hockey and his teammates.
I think the AVs front office knows they got him addicted to the pills during the cup run, and with a guy that already wasn't super stable it was bound to happen. Thankfully, he's been solid since.
He was on my short list in 2013, but the Avs had Nate Dogg for number one
His countrymen were dying in an unnecessessary war – Val couldn’t take the Cup back to his town after the win. Whatever personal issues were there, was the agent’s responsibility. The team accepts his flaws and is there for him now
I never comment on videos, but this was an excellent video. Well done. Go Cocaine Bear! Go Avs!
Click bait title. Val is humble and had fallen, like everyone reading this.
Val has so much potential. I believe that if he gets going, then the Avs are unbeatable. But he's lost a step, or lost something. He's good, but he has to step it up and get back to where he was in 22.
Yeah hes the man in CO pleased to see him stay 💯🏒
True Avs fans love Big Val. He’s made mistakes, so have you and I. He’s shown that he has taken the steps he needed to be healthy, physically and mentally. I enjoy seeing him prove the doubters wrong.
Choo Choo train!!!
This video is funny cuz yeah I was briefly upset with him but we still love Val with al of our hearts here in colorado
We love him in the AVS. 😂
Most hated? Not even close.
I have to say… I've never seen a video like this before. Some parts are amazing, and some are bad. Lots of facts in here. But also lots of assumptions.
Way to end on a positive note…
Where are your sources for this hate for Nichushkin? You’d think a video about someone who’s the most hated Russian would have a wealth of media/fan clips going after him. But no, just click bait. CO fans love Nichushkin.
What a dumb video
It's hilarious to hear Nuke described as a lazy player with no backcheck and no hustle. Dude is a 1-man PK machine
Avs fan here, Love big Val the Choo-Choo train! Never once hated him, always gave him the benefit of the doubt on the unknown issues. So glad he is back and seemingly healthy again. Lets go win another cup with him.
I adore Chu Chu. Not going to lie I definitely felt betrayed and angry by his choices but in the end, I hope he gets the help he needs and continues to kick ass. Of course, I say this after he scored a hat trick against St Louis earlier tonight.