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Dallas Stars Shouldn’t Protect Valeri Nichushkin In The Expansion Draft

By Sophia Horst |
Mar 12, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Valeri Nichushkin (43) skates against the St. Louis Blues during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Blues defeat the Stars 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Valeri Nichushkin (43) skates against the St. Louis Blues during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Blues defeat the Stars 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Multiple sportswriters keep predicting the Dallas Stars will protect Valeri Nichushkin for the expansion draft. Why would the Stars waste protecting someone who isn’t going to play for them next season?

Valeri Nichushkin, now age 22, has been playing in Russia’s KHL for the past season. His team, Moscow’s CSKA, just placed fifth in overall standings after their playoffs. Did Nichushkin crush it in the KHL? Hard to tell.

For only 36 games in the KHL regular season, Nichushkin posted eleven goals compared to his nine that he had in his last season in Dallas in 79 games. His +/- was borderline ridiculous with a +25 for the season. Again compare that to the +2 he had with the Stars in the 2015-2016 season and it’s starting to sound like he’s a much better player or the KHL isn’t as good as the NHL (Russian players do come here for a reason).

Now the Stars own his NHL rights, and to keep them they’ll have to name Nichushkin as one of the seven forwards they’re allowed to protect in the upcoming expansion draft. It seems rather wasteful when the guy can’t do anything for the team until the 2018-2019 since he signed a two year contract with his KHL team.

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Would Nichushkin fit back into Dallas?

The Stars don’t have a whole lot of physical size on the offensive side. A young 6’4″ big 22 year old forward is enticing. However, Nichushkin had a lot of problems with Lindy Ruff when in Dallas. He said to Russian media that Ruff and the other Stars coaches didn’t trust him and he should have been getting more playing time.

Lindy Ruff isn’t even considered a tough coach. With Ken Hitchcock, who’s known for being so tough that most players dislike, but begrudgingly respect him when playing for him, would Nichushkin even be able to mentally handle it in Dallas or will he flee back to the KHL?

Next: Who Stars Fans Can Cheer For In Second Round Of Playoffs

What’s the worst that can happen if the Stars lose Nichushkin?

He gets picked by the Las Vegas Golden Knights, they get him in the 2018-2019 season, he becomes a breakout all star, and helps beat the Stars in the Western Conference Finals.

True, that would be awful. Will it happen? Very unlikely.

The Stars would be giving up what is essentially a prospect not a proven NHL player. Take the gamble and see if the Golden Knights will take him so we can keep our defensemen.

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