Valeri Nichushkin, the Russian hockey player, did not play with the Colorado Avalanche team against the Seattle Kraken, and he was not part of the team's entourage. He reportedly left the team without giving a specific reason and returned to Russia.
It appears that in Nichushkin's case, the reasons for his departure are not related to family reasons, although we have little information about it. The situation is all the more worrying given that every Russian citizen is required to follow army directives, and it is even reported that Nichushkin was escorted to the airport, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
Although the loss of Nichushkin is significant for the Avalanche team on the ice, as Stéphane Richer pointed out, there are more important things than hockey in life. It is clear that Nichushkin's situation must be closely monitored, and according to the information available, he is not expected to return soon.
