Valeri Nichushkin eyeing NHL return

Valeri Nichushkin sees the NHL in his future.

The former 10th overall pick of the Dallas Stars, who has spent the past two seasons in his native Russia, hopes to spend the coming campaign in the NHL.

"Val very much wants to come back," Mark Gandler, who represents Nichushkin, told Sean Shapiro of The Athletic. "Dallas wants him back and we are just very hopeful we'll be able to take care of this very soon."

Nichushkin made the immediate jump to the NHL after the Stars used a high pick for his selection in the 2013 draft. That season, he finished with 34 points, tied with fellow freshmen Sean Monahan and Mark Scheifele.

In all, Nichushkin lasted just three seasons in Dallas, counting 166 games plus a stint with the Stars' AHL affiliate, before taking his game to the KHL. Reports indicated that a rift with bench boss Lindy Ruff were among the reasons why Nichushkin headed back to Russia.

But Ruff is long gone from the Stars, and first-year coach Jim Montgomery is set to manage the bench in the coming campaign.

As for Nichushkin, he scored 27 points in 50 games with CSKA Moscow last season, a level of production that has both he and his agent feeling satisfied.

"Goals and points is very difficult to find on the big ice surface. Particularly in that league, and it's a very tight-checking league," Gandler added. "So points and goals are difficult to come by, but considering all that, I think it was a very good season."

Should Nichushkin return to Texas, he'll first need to put pen to paper, as he remains property of the Stars as an unsigned, restricted free agent.