Exceptional speed, accuracy, and range when deflecting shots.

Advanced stability and assist on shoulder checks. Increased chance of knocking over the opponent and sapping their energy.

User controlled goaltenders have an improved ability to save pucks while using the Instincts mechanic, while AI goaltenders have improved save range, recovery and save ability while performing anticipation saves

Provides a large energy boost for all skaters on the team after a desperation save

Fatigue has less of an impact when making saves

Advanced save range, recovery, and save ability while in spread V with or against momentum.

Advanced range, accuracy and recovery when poke checking.

Screens have less of an impact to goalie vision.

Advanced at making redirect controlled saves and more likely to attempt to cover the puck.

Provides a large energy boost for all skaters on the team after stopping a breakaway or penalty shot.

Advanced goalie reflexes when dropping and making low saves in butterfly.

Advanced goalie speed, acceleration, agility, and puck handling while in free skate.

Provides a large energy boost for all skaters on the team after making 3 saves within 5 seconds.

Advanced save ability, reaction time and recovery on deflections.

Advanced save ability and reaction time when facing one timers.

Advanced save ability and reaction time when facing slap shots.

Advanced save ability and reaction time when facing wrist shots.

Advanced boost in reaction time, recovery, and save ability when going post to post.

Advanced boost in reaction time, recovery, and save ability after making 15 saves in a game.

Advanced boost in reaction time and save ability on breakaways and penalty shots.

Advanced ability at performing off balance and desperation plays on the puck. Increased shot and pass accuracy when performing passes or shots after contact.

Advanced ability at performing lacrosse moves. Increased ease of executing lacrosse passes and shots.

Advanced power and accuracy on all penalty shots and breakaways.

Advanced at intercepting pucks. Also increases a player's range when intercepting pucks.

Advanced speed and acceleration when back skating. Increases the ability to pivot from forward skating to backward skating. Note: Always active when back skating.

Provides a large energy boost for all skaters on the team after this player scores a goal, or a small energy boost for big hits and blocked shots.

Advanced shot blocking ability with additional range. Greatly improves recovery from blocked shots. Reduced injury and stagger chance.

Advanced at battles around the net. Increases stability, stick tension, and limb strength around the net. Opposing players also take longer to recover from net battles.

Advanced quickness on faceoff draws and increased effectiveness on tie up wins. Great at defensive zone draws.

Advanced stick tension and strength when going into pickups, resulting in more wins when battling for the puck.

Advanced accuracy when stick lifting against momentum or at speed. Opposing players take longer to recover from stick lifts.

Outstanding defensive stick speed. Advanced accuracy when poke checking against momentum or at speed. Reduces the chance of a penalty.

Advanced ability at corralling bouncing pucks off of rebounds. Increased shot accuracy on rebounds.

Reduces energy lost when hit and the player is less likely to suffer winded getups.

Advanced skill at screening the goalie and obstructing their view. When screening with this player, the goalies reaction time is reduced.

Advanced skill at picking up pucks at speed, corralling bouncing or rolling pucks, and reeling in less than ideal passes.

Reduces the chance of injury with advanced recovery speed from injuries. Player can only be injured once in a game.

Advanced power and accuracy on all passes within vision. Passes will also auto-saucer when necessary.

Increased pass assist with advanced ability to auto saucer long passes.

Increased pass assist with advanced ability to auto saucer pass out of a player's field of vision.

Advanced power and accuracy when shooting on the backhand.

Advanced accuracy on shots when the goalie is screened. A screened goalie's reaction time is also reduced when shooting with this ability.

Advanced accuracy shooting out of, or shortly after a toe drag.

Advanced at performing trick dekes while increasing shot accuracy out of trick dekes.

Outstanding skill to settle pucks with advanced wrist shot accuracy off settled pucks.

Advanced accuracy when taking slap shots while skating.

Advanced accuracy when taking snap shots while skating.

Advanced power when taking slap shots from the point.

Advanced power and accuracy on one timers. Increased ability to perform one timers from less than ideal passes.

Advanced power when taking wrist/snap shots from distance.

Advanced accuracy when taking wrist/snap shots in close proximity to the net.

Ability enables players to reverse hit opponents, maximize damage, and retain balance. Chance to knock opponent off balance is greatly increased. 

Outstanding puck control when performing a spin-o-rama. Advanced shot and pass accuracy coming out of the spin.

Advanced accuracy when poke checking against momentum or at speed in rush situations. Also improves shot blocking and hitting strength while defending against rush chances.

Advanced agility, speed, and acceleration when skating with the puck. Note: Always active.

Advanced maneuverability with the ability to turn tight corners while retaining high speed. Note: Always active.

Advanced strength with the puck and an increased ability to hold onto the puck when off balance.

Advanced strength and agility when driving the net in puck protect. Strong free hand to hold off the defender when cutting to the net. 

Advanced toe drag and stick handling speed.

Advanced ability to deke opponents at top speed.

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The NHL 25 deluxe edition keyart featuring the 3 Hughes brothers in a locker room with their respective team gears

Valeri Nichushkin NHL 25 Player Ratings

Valeri Nichushkin's overall rating in NHL 25 is 86

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