Bill Meltzer: Nichushkin Returns to KHL for Two Seasons

Bill,

Could he pull a Kovalchuk and "retire" from the KHL to return to the NHL? Or is it more of a one-way street where the NHL is more lenient to a player leaving while the KHL fights it harder?

That sucks for the Stars - what a bonehead he is imo - all he had to do was bust ass with a stud team - and that was too much for him - weak

I thought this guy was fantastic in his rookie season but the hip injury plus the Ruff coaching style made it hard for him to succeed because of his maturity level. I do not think I would ever bring him back to the nhl. To me when you pull a stunt like this it is over. Let somebody else deal with his big ego. Lindy is a tuff coach for sure and it old school but Nichuskin obviously is not a team player. He also did not earn anything close to a top six role the way he played after his rookie year. Too bad but good riddance.

Why is it his fault? Why isn't it Ruff's? Clearly Ruff's coaching style isn't working - considering he has an excellent team at his reigns AND In the three years he's had control of this team they've underachieved greatly in the playoffs - arguably, they should've won the cup last year, yet they were out in the 2nd round. Why does Ruff even have a job after last year, what a massive disappointment they've been under him. This old school way of coaching is dated and clearly not working but its Nichushkin fault?? I don't blame the guy one bit - I'd want out too if I was playing for an idiot like Ruff (he's been a loser for nearly a decade now!!) On the flip, maybe its his maturation that led him to realize playing for Ruff is a waste of his time.

Why is it his fault? Why isn't it Ruff's? ... Why does Ruff even have a job after last year, what a massive disappointment they've been under him.

I have a feeling if something big doesn't happen for Dallas this year he will be on his way out in the offseason, or he will be next year's version of Claude Julien.. likely on a very short leash.

Why they didn't trade him for a Defenceman is baffling. Unless he didn't want to play in the Nhl at all.

Bill,

Could he pull a Kovalchuk and "retire" from the KHL to return to the NHL? Or is it more of a one-way street where the NHL is more lenient to a player leaving while the KHL fights it harder?
- jmatchett383

In Russia, I believe you can give two weeks notice to get out of a contract or something to that effect, so they are allowed to leave and come to the NHL, yes.

And people wonder why he fell so far in the draft

In Russia, I believe you can give two weeks notice to get out of a contract or something to that effect, so they are allowed to leave and come to the NHL, yes.

Players need to buy themselves out of their contract if they want to do that

http://thehockeywriters.c...-out-of-his-khl-contract/

Players need to buy themselves out of their contract if they want to do that

http://thehockeywriters.c...-out-of-his-khl-contract/
- leafsfann

Pretty sure his KHL deal has an opt-out clause if he wants to return to the NHL after his first season in the KHL.

steal of the dra....oh wait

I recall the 2013 draft some were saying he would could go as high as #5-8, some had thought the Flames could consider drafting him...
huge sigh of relief we didn't go "off the board" and drafted good ol boring Monahan

This might be the best thing for both him and the Stars. He'll play big minutes and continue to develop, and be back right around when the older forwards start to fall off. With Hemsky, Hudler, Sharp, and Janmark all ahead of him, it makes sense to leave. In two years it may just be Janmark ahead of him.

@Brooks Light. Your line of thinking is completely backwards. Players are the ones that play the games. By the time playoffs roll around coaches are nothing more than ugly cheerleaders in suits. Ruffs teams in Dallas have had quite good regular seasons, the players are the ones that make it or break it in the playoffs and they simply haven't made it yet. Blaming the coach is a lazy NFL fan line of thinking. The kid is soff.