Two days before training camp opens, the Flyers still have a chance to add help on the blue line - and this one comes with a built-in advantage.
Philadelphia spent the offseason saying it wanted to get better on defense, but outside of Simon Benoit, who arrived as part of the Joseph Woll trade, the move never really came. Free agency offered little, and the idea of taking a swing on John Klingberg as a power-play option vanished when the veteran announced his retirement on Friday. The Flyers already went the offer-sheet route once with Leo Carlsson, and that leaves the trade market as their clearest remaining path before the 2026-27 regular season begins.
That is where Alexander Nikishin enters the picture.
The unsigned Carolina Hurricanes RFA is still without a contract, and according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, the situation is not close to being resolved. LeBrun reported Monday: "Defenseman Alexander Nikishin remains unsigned by the Carolina Hurricanes as camps get set to open," LeBrun said. "The 24-year-old RFA requested a change of scenery after the season, and one thing that was made clear to me Monday is that the request remains in place."
For the Flyers, that’s the kind of opening worth watching. Nikishin, drafted 69th overall in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft, just finished his first full season in North America after a four-game playoff cameo for Carolina last year. In 81 games, he put up 11 goals, 22 assists and 33 points, then managed just one assist in 17 playoff games as the Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup.
His regular-season role came in part because Carolina had to lean on him. K'Andre Miller and Jalen Chatfield each played 72 games, Shayne Gostisbehere appeared in only 55, and Jaccob Slavin missed more than half the year, getting into just 39. But in the playoffs, when the Hurricanes were fully loaded, Nikishin was pushed down the depth chart on the left side.
That’s exactly why Philadelphia can see an opening here. From Carolina’s side, it may not make much sense to spend heavily to keep a 24-year-old defender who just handled a depth role on a championship team, especially with Slavin, Miller and Gostisbehere all ahead of him. But that also weakens the Hurricanes’ position, because other teams know they would have a much bigger use for Nikishin than Carolina does.
There’s another layer that matters for the Flyers, too: Nikishin was once the captain of SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL for two seasons, and he was teammates there with Matvei Michkov. That connection is hard to ignore.
The 6-foot-3 Russian showed enough in his first NHL season to look like a player worth betting on, and a bigger role elsewhere would give him room to keep developing. The longer this drags on, the more it starts to look like an opportunity for Philadelphia to pounce.
In Other News...
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Briere sounded encouraged by the broader picture, saying Michkov appears more mature and ready to handle what comes next. The Flyers have also been watching his offseason work closely, with the sense that his summer was geared toward getting himself in better shape for the demands of the season. For a team trying to move forward, the question is no longer whether Michkov has talent. It is whether he can turn that talent into the kind of nightly impact Philadelphia needs. [Read more 🡒]
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Luchankos path has already included offseason surgery to clean up a core muscle issue that had slowed parts of his development, which makes every positive step feel a little more meaningful for the organization. He is expected to begin the season in Lehigh Valley, but the Flyers will be watching closely to see how quickly his game translates, because the door to an NHL call-up is not going to stay closed forever if he keeps building like this. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Just Dropped A Promo Schedule Fans Will Definitely Debate
The Flyers have put their 2026-27 promotional schedule on the board, and it has the usual mix of theme nights, giveaways and special events that help turn a home date at Xfinity Mobile Arena into more than just a game. The slate includes Independence Edition nights built around Philadelphias history, the debut of a new alternate jersey and a steady run of community-focused and themed games spread across the season.
Fans will also have plenty to circle on the calendar thanks to the giveaway lineup, which includes T-shirts, Snickers, Flyers Ugly Sweater Beanies and other items attached to specific nights. It is the kind of release that immediately sends supporters sorting through the schedule for the best freebies and the quirkiest promotions, and there should be no shortage of debate once the full lineup gets into the hands of the fan base. [Read more 🡒]