A woman, who was reportedly so heavily intoxicated that she had to be transported to the hospital, was allegedly found in NHL star Valeri Nichushkin’s Seattle hotel room on April 22, according to reports.
Colorado Avalanche employees allegedly found the woman in Nichushkin’s room while attempting to check up on the hockey star, according to The Denver Post. Bradley Changstrom, a team doctor, reportedly determined that her level of intoxication was so high that it was too dangerous to let her leave in a taxi which prompted him to call 911 instead, The Seattle Times reported. It was not clear whether the woman was intoxicated with alcohol or drugs. (RELATED: ‘More Of A Distraction Now’: NHL Hints They Could Get Rid Of Pride Nights)
The woman allegedly hit Changstrom, but he did not want to press charges, The Seattle Times reported. She was transported to Virginia Mason Medical Center for allegedly being a “danger” and exhibiting “assaultive behavior,” CBS Sports reported.
The woman, whose name was not revealed, reportedly said she was from Russia and born in Ukraine. The woman claims that after her arrival in the United States, someone took her passport, according to The Denver Post. The hockey star and the woman reportedly have no known familial ties, according to The Athletic.
An Avalanche team physician found a heavily intoxicated woman when checking on Valeri Nichushkin prior to Game 3 of Colorado’s first-round series with Seattle, according to police.https://t.co/beT0Oj0ACy
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) April 28, 2023
The woman reportedly said that she “should never have come to the United States and that some guy took her passport and that he was a bad person,” according to The Denver Post.
A Seattle Police Department spokesperson said that there are no criminal investigations currently underway, the outlet reported.
Nichushkin has been absent from the Colorado Avalanche since Game 2 of their playoff series against the Seattle Kraken. The Avalanche originally said that Nichushkin left town, but did not give a reason why, CBS Sports reported. The team said that Nichushkin’s absence was not related to any legal matters.