The Canadiens have spent years stockpiling young talent on the blue line, and that work should not stop Kent Hughes from eyeing another big swing if the right player becomes available. Alexander Nikishin is exactly the kind of name Montreal ought to have on its radar.
For now, the Carolina Hurricanes defenceman is not at training camp because he remains without a contract. That alone is enough to make him a player worth tracking around the league, especially when the player in question is young and clearly talented. If Nikishin does become available, Montreal should be ready to explore the possibility.
The fit is obvious on paper. Nikishin stands 6-foot-3 and weighs well over 200 pounds, which would add another layer of size to a Canadiens defence that already has some skill.
But his appeal goes far beyond his frame. He produced 33 points in 82 games last season, his first full NHL campaign, and his offensive instincts give him real value at both ends of the ice.
That scoring touch did not come out of nowhere, either. Before arriving in North America, Nikishin had already built a reputation as one of the most productive young defencemen in the KHL. His shot, puck-moving ability and sense for when to jump into the play make him a legitimate threat from the back end.
Montreal’s current group already gives the team a strong foundation. Lane Hutson brings elite offence from the blue line, Noah Dobson adds another high-end puck mover, and Kaiden Guhle offers skating, defensive reliability and a physical edge. Nikishin would slide into that mix as another young defenceman capable of handling meaningful minutes without forcing the Canadiens to abandon their long-term plan.
That long-term vision is what makes this worth discussing in the first place. Montreal would not be chasing an older rental for a short-term push. Nikishin, if acquired, could become part of the core for years.
Of course, none of this would be simple. The Canadiens would have to carve out salary-cap space to make a serious move, and that could mean shifting money out of the roster.
A trade for a player with Nikishin’s upside would also come at a steep price. Carolina would not be handing over a 24-year-old defenceman with this kind of potential for nothing.
Still, Montreal has put itself in a position to act. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Hutson and Dobson are already locked in as part of the club’s long-term core, which gives management a clearer sense of where the money is going. If another core-level player becomes available, Hughes has enough structure in place to justify getting creative.
That does not mean the Canadiens should force a deal. But if Carolina starts to seriously entertain trade talks, Montreal should be willing to make the call and see what it would take.
The cost would likely involve draft capital, prospects or an NHL player, and maybe all of the above. That is the reality when a team tries to pry away a player with this kind of upside from a club with Stanley Cup aspirations. Even so, the Canadiens have spent years building the stockpile that allows them to chase a move like this.
A future blue line built around Hutson, Dobson, Guhle and Nikishin would give Montreal size, skating, puck movement and offence across the top four. Just as important, it would still be young enough to grow together.
Nikishin may still end up signing in Carolina and putting the whole conversation to bed. But until that happens, the Canadiens should be watching closely.
They already have the pieces of an excellent young defence. Adding Nikishin could make it even more dangerous.
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Instead, the roadblock has remained the same. Larkins no-trade clause gives him control over the process, and Montreal has not been among the teams he has been willing to list as an acceptable destination. The Canadiens have since moved to address the need elsewhere by signing Chris Kreider, but Larkins preference for other landing spots has left Montreal on the outside looking in for now. [Read more 🡒]