A talented, young Russian winger absconds from his Stanley Cup contending, cap-strapped NHL team for a contract in the KHL. Sound familiar Lightning fans? Luckily, this week’s news doesn’t concern Tampa’s restricted free agent Nikita Kucherov. Instead it was the Dallas Stars’ Valeri Nichushkin who is returning to the Motherland for the upcoming season. While on the surface the two young wingers seem to share a similar situation, there are a few key differences that should put Lightning fans at ease….for now.
First off, Nichushkin is no Kucherov.