Dallas Stars Still Negotiating With Valeri Nichushkin
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars are preparing for an entertaining season ahead. But there is still one RFA on a qualifying offer that needs a new deal, and hopefully they will come to terms sooner rather than later.
Welcome to the second to last day of arguably the worst month in the hockey calendar. The month of August is almost extinguished, and hockey is right around the corner.
In just 18 short days, four Dallas Stars will meet up in Toronto along with a plethora of other hockey players for the revived World Cup of Hockey. The two week tournament will feature six countries and two continents duking it out for the title of champion.
In 24 days, the Stars that are not competing in the WCH will join together in Cedar Park, TX for the Dallas Stars 2016 training camp.
And in 27 days, the preseason kicks off as the Stars meet up with the St. Louis Blues in Big D. You could say that hockey is rapidly approaching. Luckily, we are totally okay with that.
But amidst all of this happiness lies one small snag. This snag has to do with a 21-year-old Russian power forward that is a normal in the Stars’ offensive ranks. Yes, I am talking about Valeri Nichushkin.
On June 27, 2016, the Dallas Stars issued a qualifying offer to Nichushkin. He was slated to be a restricted free agent, but the qualifying offer gave the Stars leverage in any negotiations Nichushkin might have with an opposing team.
So that was all dandy and fine as free agency opened up. But the fact of the matter is that even now on August 30, Nichushkin is still technically an RFA.
Now before you lose your head, take a step back and relax. First off, remember that Nichushkin cannot go anywhere without the Dallas Stars having a say in the process.
Overall, the two sides are still attempting to negotiate a new contract. “His agent and I have had great dialogue,” Stars GM Jim Nill told Stars Inside Edge. “We look forward to getting him signed and getting him in here. It’s a big year for him to continue his growth. We have high expectations for him.”
The 21-year-old scored nine goals and 20 assists in the 2015-16 season. It was his first full season back after recovering from a hip injury during the 2014-15 year.
The fact of the matter is that Nichushkin is still an RFA and needs a new contract. The negotiations are reportedly going well, but the fact that Nichushkin denied the qualifying offer from Dallas leaves a world of opportunities open.
Nichushkin is probably looking for a long term deal with security and a relatively high salary involved. The Stars probably aren’t giving him everything he wants because he has yet to prove himself as a franchise player.
The KHL is another rumor floating around. The Russian league has apparently reached out to Nichushkin, and reports are that he would not mind playing in the KHL.
The bottom line is that the Stars have until December 1st of this coming season to sign #43 to a new deal. If they cannot come to terms by then, Nichushkin will not be allowed to compete in NHL play for the rest of the season.
So it’s not an entirely serious matter just yet. But it is something to keep an eye on. The last thing Dallas needs is to worry about negotiations during the regular season with Nichushkin. Knowing Nill, he will find a way to get it all done before training camp kicks off here in the next few weeks.
Next: Pros And Cons Of The Stars' Season Ahead
If he does not, then Nichushkin could go any number of ways. Who’s up for locking him down soon and forgetting about everything? We sure are.