The Carolina Hurricanes are considering trading defenseman Alexander Nikishin, multiple teams told TSN's Darren Dreger.
Nikishin is a pending restricted free agent. The Hurricanes are weighing trade interest versus the price tag of an extension, reports Dreger.
The 24-year-old rearguard recorded 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games as a rookie this year. Nikishin added one assist in 17 postseason games to help Carolina win the Stanley Cup. He was injured in Game 4 of the first round against the Ottawa Senators on a devastating hit by Tyler Kleven, which forced him to miss two games in the second round due to a concussion.
Nikishin's average ice time dipped from 18:11 in the regular season to 14:50 in the playoffs.
The 6-foot-3, 218-pound Russian was highly touted coming over to the NHL. Nikishin racked up 45 goals and 157 points in 193 KHL games from 2022-25 with SKA St. Petersburg. He joined the Hurricanes in April 2025 and played four playoff games.
Nikishin is projected at a $6.4-million cap hit on a six-year contract, according to AFP Analytics. He is ineligible for an offer sheet. The Hurricanes have $11.1 million of projected cap space, according to PuckPedia.
