Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin will not be present to begin training camp, the team announced Wednesday.
"Alexander Nikishin is not under contract currently, so he will not be at camp when we hit the ice on Thursday," general manager Eric Tulsky said in a statement. "We won't be commenting further at this time."
Nikishin remains a restricted free agent and is not eligible to sign an offer sheet.
The 24-year-old reportedly requested a trade earlier in the offseason and still desires a change of scenery. The Hurricanes reportedly included Nikishin in a trade offer for Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck in June. Hellebuyck is also seeking a trade.
Nikishin tallied 33 points in 81 games as a rookie in 2025-26, finishing seventh in Calder Trophy voting.
