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Restricted free agent defenseman Alexander Nikishin did not take part in training camp and reportedly asked for a trade after 2025-26.
On Monday’s episode of , Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discuss some of the key storylines going into the 2026-27 NHL season, and if Nikishin’s reported contract ask is too much.
: I know we’re in the crazy new world of contracts shooting through the roof and no one blinks when Adam Fantilli gets $13.75 million, but Nikishin is a rookie, a 24-year-old rookie who played professionally in Russia for a number of years, so this is not a guy who is coming in and never played against men, who is 18 years old. I don’t want to downplay the player too much, because I do think if he goes to another team and gets a bigger role — he only averaged 18:11 in Carolina — then yeah, he could be a guy who pushes 50ish points per season.
But I also see that he was tied for 88th in 5-on-5 points-per-game in the league … to me, the reason this is going to continue to linger is 1) Carolina wants the equivalent of two first-round picks for the player, which seems sky high for a guy who, again, had 33 points in his rookie season, which is good but doesn’t look like the next Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar … 2) Nikishin’s own evaluation of himself. If you want short-term, bet-on-yourself five-year deal, and $9 million, I don’t think I saw nearly enough to go, “yeah, this guy is going to be an elite defenseman. ”
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