Alexander Nikishin’s offseason holdout finally came to an end, and Carolina got the defenseman under contract on a one-year, $3 million deal.
That’s a far cry from the numbers Nikishin was reportedly seeking earlier in the summer, when the asking price was said to be in the range of $8 million or $9 million per year. After spending the offseason away from the team, he now has a path back into the Hurricanes’ mix for at least this season.
Nikishin had been one of the oddest stories of the summer. He won a Stanley Cup with Carolina, then stayed away from contract negotiations deep into the season after initially drawing chatter as a possible trade candidate earlier in the year. In the end, he appears to have settled in and chosen to skate in Carolina for the foreseeable future.
The deal also comes without trade protection, which keeps the door open for a possible move later. One possibility is that Carolina is setting things up so Nikishin can build value with his play before the trade deadline.
His signing, along with the recent Connor Helleybuck trade, leaves Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson as the last two major offseason situations still waiting for resolution.
Larkin’s trade request has been in place since mid-May, and the latest update is that the center has widened his list of acceptable destinations to ten teams.
Edvinsson remains unsigned as well. He reported to Red Wings preseason camp as a restricted free agent and has stayed in that situation despite showing good faith by being there. The latest word is that the big blueliner has become frustrated with Detroit and now wants a trade out of Hockeytown.
With the NHL nearing the end of its first month, the clock is ticking for Detroit. If Edvinsson is not signed by Dec. 1, his entire season would be lost.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings’ loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday night remains part of the conversation, and Michal Postava was brought up for the road trip. With Gibson having started the last two games, it’s fair to wonder whether Detroit will turn to the Czech rookie.
Elsewhere in the organization, the Grand Rapids Griffins are doing their part to keep things rolling. Even as the Red Wings sit in a battle with the Buffalo Sabres to stay above the bottom of the Atlantic Division, the Griffins are again sitting atop the AHL standings.
Grand Rapids is off to a 7-1-1-1 start, powered by veterans such as Dominik Shine and John Leonard, along with strong recent showings from prospects including Trey Augustine and Jesse Kiiskenin.
In Other News...
Red Wings Face A Real Simon Edvinsson Deadline Problem
Alexander Nikishins one-year deal with Carolina took another name off the restricted free-agent board, and it left Simon Edvinsson in an increasingly awkward spot for Detroit. The 21-year-old defenseman remains in contract talks with the Red Wings, who are trying to get something done before the calendar turns to December and the window closes on his season.
Edvinsson has already made clear he would prefer a trade, even if he has not formally asked for one, which only adds another layer to a situation Detroit would rather settle cleanly. Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff is still working toward a deal, but the clock is no longer just a background detail, and the Red Wings know what is at stake if this drags on much longer. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Face One Huge Horcoff Question At A Crossroads
Shawn Horcoff is in a tough spot as the Red Wings interim general manager, because every meaningful decision he makes carries the shadow of not knowing how long he will be in charge. Detroit is at a crossroads, with one path leaning toward a push to help the current core right away and another pointing toward a longer rebuild that would prioritize future value over immediate results.
The tension is especially clear in how the team might navigate trade talks around Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson, two players who could define which direction this front office wants to take. The conversations being floated are still speculative, but they underline the same problem Horcoff faces throughout this stretch: Detroit has to decide whether it wants quick help for the present or a broader return that keeps the door open for the next era. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Trade Chatter Just Put Their Goalie Plan In Focus
The goalie market can be a noisy place in late summer, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonens situation in Buffalo is a reminder that not every rumor turns into movement. According to the latest chatter, Sabres management has already tried to calm the situation around Luukkonen by making clear he still fits into the clubs future, even as other teams continue to kick the tires on different pieces around the league.
For Detroit, the bigger takeaway is how the market is shaping the kind of conversations the Red Wings are having. The club has continued to get calls on its own players, but the asks coming back point to a clear priority: young centers, whether they are already in the NHL or still outside it. At the same time, the Red Wings stance on Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson has stayed put, which suggests any real action here will hinge less on familiar names and more on what kind of center help is actually out there. [Read more 🡒]