Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin is drawing real interest, but a deal still hasn’t come together.
Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast that the New York Rangers came close to landing Nikishin in a trade, with the framework of a move already in place. The snag came on the contract side, where the numbers and term never quite matched up between the two sides.
Before Zeev Buium signed his deal in Vancouver, both sides were looking at an AAV around $9 million, and Friedman said Nikishin was seeking roughly that figure. The Rangers were not far off, but they did not appear ready to commit at that level.
That made the fit tricky for a New York team that is working through its retool and trying to push back toward contention. The cap picture only adds to the challenge.
The Rangers have under $1 million in 2026-27 cap space with the season about to begin, while eight defensemen are already taking up around $37 million. It’s fair to wonder what Carolina would have gotten back in a potential inter-division swap, especially with top prospect Alberts Smits now emerging on his entry-level deal and possibly affecting the Rangers’ thinking.
New York wasn’t the only club in the mix. Friedman also said the St. Louis Blues have shown strong interest in Nikishin, and the Predators have had interest as well.
The Buium deal in Vancouver gives some context to where the market may be heading. Buium signed for eight years at a $9.38 million AAV.
Nikishin, meanwhile, has been willing to get into that range, but he is said to be looking for a shorter contract, which may be part of what’s slowing things down from a team’s perspective. He has been rumored to want a five-year deal and may now be seeking even more money.
Nikishin’s production last season only strengthens his case. He scored 11 goals and 33 points in his rookie NHL season, playing a little over 18 minutes per night.
He also recently changed agents during his pending trade request, moving from Quartexx Hockey to Paul Theofanous, according to PuckPedia. Theofanous represents Russian stars such as Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin, and Sergei Bobrovsky.
For now, Nikishin remains an unsigned restricted free agent with only days left before the regular season begins. Even with the tension between player and team, a return to the KHL is reportedly not an option.
Carolina, understandably, is asking for a hefty return. Friedman said the Hurricanes want two first-round picks, whether in actual draft capital or equivalent value in players taken within the first 32 selections of their drafts. The asking price reflects the upside Nikishin showed last season, when he helped the defending champs and established himself as a major asset.
There is also a separate layer to the situation with Connor Hellebuyck. Friedman said the Hurricanes remain resilient on the four-time All-Star, three-time Vezina Trophy winner and 2024-25 league MVP, who makes $8.5 million per season and will earn $59.5 million by the time he is 38 in 2031.
Friedman previously said Winnipeg would have dealt for Nikishin already if it were up to them, but there is still uncertainty over whether Nikishin would sign after a move to the Jets. A three-way trade could be an option if Winnipeg and Carolina can find a third team and a landing spot Nikishin would accept.
The key point remains simple: this is Carolina’s call. Nikishin does not have offer-sheet eligibility or arbitration eligibility, and his rights are controlled by the Hurricanes as a 10.2c RFA because he has not hit the NHL experience thresholds needed to shift leverage in his favor.
Carolina has around $8.4 million in cap space, and Nikishin is the only unsigned player on its roster. Among left-shot defenders, the defending champs already have Jaccob Slavin, K’Andre Miller, and Shayne Gostisbehere.
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Tulsky did not have a fresh update on Alexander Nikishin, saying only that talks are still ongoing after the defenseman changed agents. Carolina is also carrying three goalies right now as a protection measure, a move designed to help the Hurricanes avoid losing anyone on waivers while the roster sorts itself out and the opener arrives with a few loose ends still hanging. [Read more 🡒]