Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was involved in an incident with a 28-year-old female before Game 3 in Seattle on Saturday. According to police reports, Irina Prudnikova was intoxicated and hit an Avalanche team physician.
Police records pertaining to the sudden absence of Nichushkin were released Thursday to Mile High Sports pertaining to what happened hours before Game 3 at Climate Pledge Arena.
There was a 9-1-1 call made to EMS from 99 Union St., the address of the Four Seasons hotel where the Avalanche were staying at approximately 3:44 pm. local Pacific time, according to the police records.
Officers Knight and Beecroft were assigned to the call and showed up at the hotel to find Prudnikova, in the back of an AMR rig.
Avalanche team physician Bradley Changstrom stated that Prudnikova was located by team employees when they were on checking on Nichushkin, according to the police report. Changstrom says he observed a heavily intoxicated Prudnikova in Nichushkin’s room and believed she was in no shape to leave the hotel in a ride share or cab service. Changstrom instead called 9-1-1 and also stated Prudnikova hit him but he did not want to be a victim of any assault, according to the report.
Changstrom believes there is no family connection between Nichushkin and Prudnikova, who is from Russia. Officer Beecroft says Prudnikova told him that “some guy took her passport and that he was a bad person,” according to the report. Prudnikova would not elaborate any further.
Prudnikova was detained for being in danger to others due to her assaultive behavior and was transported via AMR to Virginia Mason Medical Center, the report said.
No others were detained.
Last Saturday, Nichushkin was scheduled to play in Game 3 in Seattle between the Avalanche and the Kraken but did not dress. Following the game, head coach Jared Bednar announced that Nichushkin was out for personal reasons. The team said his absence was not injury related or disciplinary, but confirmed that Nichushkin had left the team and Seattle. No further information was divulged.
Nichushkin has since been absent from the team. His whereabouts are unknown and there is no immediate timeline for his return.