Ice Hockey
Colorado Avalanche Sign $49 Million Extension with Valeri Nichushkin
by privatebet.com - 2022/07/13
The Colorado Avalanche are fresh off their first Stanley Cup victory in over two decades, and they’re trying to keep the members of the winning team on board. The NHL team signed an eight-year extension with Valeri Nichushkin, reportedly worth $49 million. The Russian right-winger was set to become an unrestricted free agent, but the Avalanche decided to cash out an average annual value of $6.125 million to keep him on board. Avalanche president of hockey operations Joe Sakic described Nichushkin as “a big, strong, fast, tenacious winger who is relentless on the puck”, adding he’s a humble person and great teammate. "He is such an important player in our lineup and a huge reason why we won the Stanley Cup… Signing Val to a long-term deal was a top priority for us this offseason, as he would have been one of the most sought-after forwards on the open market,” said Sakic. Nichushkin joined the Avalanche in 2019, on a one-year contract worth $850,000. It didn’t take him long to prove he was worth much more, and his second contract had him cashing $5 million in two years. His third season in Colorado proved to be the best one yet, with 25 goals and 52 points scored in 62 games with the team.