PuckSleuth
43Columbus Blue Jackets · Right wing · Shoots L
Valeri Nichushkin
Age 31 · 6'4" · 217 lb · Born in Chelyabinsk, RUS
Cap hit
$6.125M
5.9% of $104M cap
Term
4 yrs
Through 2029-30, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$1.683M
vs. $7.808M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
1
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
15:45
PP 1:00 · PK 1:11
xGF%
9.7
5v5, -49.6 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.56
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 0 · Hits 1
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 vs BUF · W 6-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15:45 | 1:00 | 1:11 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +0.56 |
| May 24 @ VGK · L 5-3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8:34 | 0:48 | 1:28 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.37 |
| May 22 vs VGK · L 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 15:07 | 0:26 | 1:15 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.38 |
| May 20 vs VGK · L 4-2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13:39 | 0:00 | 1:43 | — | 80 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.94 |
| May 13 vs MIN · W 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 15:32 | 0:00 | 0:50 | — | 67 | 0 | 0 | +1 | -0.09 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 940 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
97th percentile
65th percentile
98th percentile
96th percentile
64th percentile
95th percentile
85th percentile
98th percentile
79th percentile
86th percentile
6th percentile
63rd percentile
56th percentile
52nd percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleSpeed-driven playmaker
Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26
Nichushkin uses elite speed and relentless rush entries to generate chances at a high rate, controlling play at 59.3% expected goals while on ice. He trades physicality and forechecking intensity for a slick, puck-moving game that keeps plays alive and moving forward.
- Shooting volume
- 67
- Playmaking
- 47
- Zone entries(est.)
- 84
- Forechecking
- 36
- Physicality
- 24
- Defensive impact
- 45
- Puck management
- 62
- Speed
- 94
Where he shoots from
Slot 47% · Mid-range 32% · Perimeter 21%(242 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- 94th percentile speed makes him a consistent rush chance creator
- 84th percentile zone entries via rush chances fuel his playmaking
- 62nd percentile puck management keeps possession fluid and transitions smooth
Watch-outs
- 36th percentile forechecking limits his engagement in the defensive zone
- 24th percentile physicality means he avoids board battles and contact
Similar style: Trevor Moore (LAK), Egor Chinakhov (PIT)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 72 GP · goals above average
Season total -2.0 goals, or -0.03 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +2.3
- Even strength defense
- +0.8
- Power play
- -0.4
- Penalty kill
- +0.8
- Finishing
- -5.7
- Playmaking
- -1.5
- Penalties
- +1.5
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
By season
Regular season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | CBJ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 15:45 | — | +0.56 |
| 2025-26 | COL | 72 | 17 | 32 | 49 | +9 | 160 | 17:44 | — | -0.03 |
| 2024-25 | COL | 43 | 21 | 13 | 34 | +11 | 118 | 19:44 | — | -0.01 |
| 2023-24 | COL | 54 | 28 | 25 | 53 | +5 | 158 | 21:21 | — | +0.15 |
| 2022-23 | COL | 53 | 17 | 30 | 47 | +15 | 158 | 20:16 | — | +0.04 |
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
No news about him in the last 30 days.
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.07 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 23.5 mph
- 95th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 186
- Hardest shot
- 87.7 mph
- 67th pct
- Distance
- 220.6 mi
- OZ time
- 43.0%
- 62nd pct
- DZ time
- 38.5%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 31, forwards typically produce 80% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 34, when the typical level is 63%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
4 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | CBJ | $6.125M | 5.9% |
| 2027-28 | CBJ | $6.125M | 5.4% |
| 2028-29 | CBJ | $6.125M | — |
| 2029-30 | CBJ | $6.125M | — |
UFA after 2029-30. $24.5M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).