One of the most discussed prospects across the league is one step closer to his NHL debut. The Carolina Hurricanes Alexander Nikishin, who was an under the radar draft selection in 2020, is that prospect. As his club side SKA St. Petersburg has released him, his NHL signing is imminent.
With his release from SKA St. Petersburg secured, #Canes will soon sign top prospect Alexander Nikishin to his entry-level deal.
Visa process will take some time; his #NHL debut with #RaiseUp will be in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs against #njdevils.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) April 11, 2025
Alexander Nikishin Signs with Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes drafted the 6’4” defenceman in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, 69th overall. Interestingly, the draft pick was initially acquired in 2018 from the Buffalo Sabres alongside Centreman Cliff Pu, a 2019 second-round pick (which was used to select roster mainstay Pyotr Kochetkov), and a sixth-round pick in 2020, in exchange for Jeff Skinner.
Meanwhile, in Russia
Nikishin joined the KHL during the 2019-20 season, playing for Spartak Moscow. For the next three seasons, he jumped between the MHL, the VHL, and the KHL. In 95 games played with Spartak, he achieved only 20 points. However, despite what sounds like a lack in numbers early on, stats only tell half the game. His talent, offensively and defensively, was clear in those early years at the professional level. In early 2022, he was a member of the Russian Olympic Committee in the Beijing Olympics. He played six games, ultimately falling to Finland in the gold medal round. It was a large step for him, as he had previously been held back by the IIHF in the World Juniors due to heart concerns.
On July 31, 2022, Spartak made a massive trade to SKA Saint Petersburg, who traded away five players and the signing rights to four more, alongside 50 million rubles (roughly $598,500 USD) for the young defenceman. In just his first season with SKA, he managed 55 points across 65 games. Since then, he has continued to maintain a steady trend of development in both his defensive and offensive game, enjoying success in Saint Petersburg and even gaining valuable leadership experience in his captaincy with the team.
That’s how a defense is supposed to work. Master class from Alexander Nikishin. pic.twitter.com/fqKuxsixvu
— Uggg (@Uggg_uggg) January 16, 2025
His Final Season with SKA Saint Petersburg Was a Rollercoaster
When the 2024-25 KHL season started, Nikishin was notably absent from their first game. During the time, a familiar face for Hurricanes fans in Evgeny Kuznetsov wore the Captain’s patch in his stead. However, it wasn’t long before he returned to action. The injury bug didn’t end there for him, though. In January, he suffered a concussion during a game against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Due to the injury, it was anticipated he would miss the KHL All-Star Game, which he had been selected to play in. However, despite the expectations, he managed to play in it. During the hardest shot challenge, he impressively registered a 154.91 kilometer per hour shot (equivalent to 96.26 miles per hour). Even more impressively, in a previous All-Star appearance he made a 168.28 km/h shot (104.56 MPH). The man can slap.
Returning to the less than happy topic previously discussed, the aforementioned injury bug still didn’t end there for the young defenceman. In late March, he was injured in a game against Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. The injury resulted in the young Captain missing two key playoff games, with Kuznetsov once again taking the helm. Nikishin made an instant impact upon his return, scoring two goals and providing an assist in the four games he played, though SKA ultimately took an early exit in Round 1, losing to Dynamo Msk in six games.
Throughout the season, he registered 46 points (17 goals, 29 assists) over 61 games played. Among defenceman leaguewide, he had the second most goals and the third most points. Interestingly, his points per game average of 1.33 matches the same of another top prospect and SKA teammate, Ivan Demidov, who was selected fifth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2024, just recently making his move to the NHL, as well.
Last Word on this Story for the Carolina Hurricanes and Alexander Nikishin
Hurricanes fans have a lot to look forward to with Alexander Nikishin on his way to Carolina after signing. However, it seems to open a few questions…or perhaps put to bed one we’ve been pondering throughout the season. Namely, where he would fit into the lineup, and who would be left out in the upcoming season. The only left defenceman in the current roster who is soon to become an unrestricted free agent is the second pairing’s Dmitry Orlov. Now, the likelihood that Nikishin’s fellow countryman will not see a contract renewal with Carolina has certainly increased.
With that assumption, while figuring he won’t be sent down to the AHL, it would make sense to believe that Shayne Gostisbehere (who has been an incredible addition) will be booted up to the second line to pair with Jalen Chatfield—a line which saw decent productivity in the late regular season when Orlov was out of the lineup due to injury. The obvious answer would be to watch out for the third line, where Nikishin would likely pair with Sean Walker. However, Carolina is known for going against the grain and chucking lines into the blender. No matter which line the latest hire ends up on, it is bound to be interesting.
Main Photo Credit: George Walker IV-Imagn Images
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