Stars winger Valeri Nichushkin is quoted in Sport-Express saying he is disenchanted with his playing time and the opportunity for offense with Dallas.

Nichushkin, 21, spoke to reporter Igor Rabiner in San Jose on Saturday, and Rabiner posted a Q&A. According to Google Translate, Nichushkin said he feels he is not trusted by coach Lindy Ruff, he feels he should be playing more minutes, and that he's frustrated.

Nichushkin was asked about his friend Evgeny Kuznetsov, who is having a breakout season with the Washington Capitals at age 23. Kuznetsov last season had 37 points and this year has 73. He is getting much more ice time, and Nichushkin said that is the key.

"Man last season did not allow to play, and this was given (this season) and he punished the entire league!" Nichushkin is quoted as saying through Google Translate. "I Look - enjoy. I am very happy for him. I hope that I will ever play. I have a single game of the season was not that I played for about 20 minutes. The maximum was 16. A normal time - from 10 to 14. They will give a little more - I just some moments there. I do not know what I annoy coaches."

Nichushkin said several times during the interview that he feels he has upset the coaches or that the coaches do not trust him. He also mentioned twice that he would prefer to play 20 minutes in a game. Nichushkin is averaging 13:53, seventh among Stars forwards. Asked if he needs to play with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, Nichushkin is quoted as saying: "I'm important to give time - it does not matter with whom! Put me even with the leaders, but ten minutes of the game it will be difficult to score...If you sit cold - you do not have time for nothing."

Nichushkin was asked if he has talked to Ruff, and he said when he talks to the coaches they tell him he is playing well and compliment on his battle in the corners. Asked if he has gone to dinner with Ruff like he did when he was a rookie, Nichushkin said no.

"This season - never," Nichushkin said. "We generally do not talk to him. I communicate only with the general manager."

Ruff said he has tried to communicate to Nichushkin this year during practice.

"I didn't read the article. I think that maybe some of that is from earlier in the year," Ruff said. "I think right now that Val is in a good place."

Asked about dealing with players who are frustrated by lack of playing time, Ruff said it's not an uncommon problem for coaches.

"I don't know a player that doesn't want more minutes. You could look down our lineup, Ales Hemsky could write an article. There's lots of cases," Ruff said. "I think that you deal with that as a coach all the time and you understand it. And you understand that players get frustrated, it's OK to be frustrated sometimes."

For much of the season, Ruff has been stressing to top forwards that they have to be better defensively, and the coach said that means sacrificing offense for the good of the team. Nichushkin has nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points in 73 games.

"I think everybody bought into it from day one that we need to be better defensively," Ruff said. "There's times in the game that I want you to opt for what would tend to be the safer play and I think it's got us to where we're at right now. We're sitting with almost 100 points. It's the way that you're going to win hockey games. We lost a lot of hockey games from erring on the other side last year. We made a decision that we were going to have to change our ways at crucial times in the game and I think that this group has bought into it. We're still scoring the same number of goals, I would argue that that part of the game has been as good, but when we're asking for a little less when you have a lead or have a two-goal lead to make sure that we don't ourselves in harm's way as a team, it's been hard. It's been hard on a guy like [Jason Spezza] and sometimes like Hemsky, they've come from a background with a lot of individual play. I've asked a lot of my top skill guys to put some of the 1-on-1 game away instead of play more of a team game."

The Stars held an optional skate Tuesday and Nichushkin was not available for comment. Stars general manager Jim Nill declined comment this morning.

Here is a part of the interview where Rabiner asked about the fact Nichushkin can become a restricted free agent in the summer. His first question concerned the fact the Stars could be intentionally keeping Nichushkin's numbers low so he won't have a good negotiating stance in the summer. The others are about if he wants to stay in Dallas or if he would like to play in Russia.

This is the Google Translate version, so take that into consideration :

IR: Maybe it's due to the fact that rookie contract after this season ends, and you want to hold back a bit, to financial demands were modest?

VN: It is generally thought. If so - it is very sad. But I do not think that's the case. Just some distrust. And I do not know what caused it. Whatever coach asks do - especially on defense. So many goals themselves never caught! All fears, the first run back, catch-up for all. But nothing changes.

IR: Feel that they have become stronger as a player compared to the time of arrival?

VN: So this is the most annoying! If I compare this with what I got, I understand: did not know anything. Now I'm physically stronger and understand the game a lot better. But I do not give this show!

IR: "Dallas" made it clear that he wants to sign a new contract with you?

VN: This is a job agent. He knows, I do not think about. But if this continues, not sure he want to stay in "Dallas." Whatever money nor suggested. I want to play! What good I stay here, if the guys from the farm to come and play more than me? That is, the coach made it clear that trust anyone - not you.

IR: If you do not want to stay in the "Dallas", stay in the NHL or are ready to consider options in the KHL?

VN: Perhaps consider. Because "Dallas" has the right to exchange me nowhere and keep to the last. If that happens - it may have to play in Russia. Because, I repeat, then I coach constantly shows that not trust. (I am) Beating forehead against the wall of the tired - bump already kilometer!