It was reported following the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs that the Carolina Hurricanes were considering whether to trade or re-sign defenseman Alexander Nikishin. As training camp approaches, they don't seem any closer to doing either.
Shortly after the Stanley Cup Final, it was reported that the Carolina Hurricanes were considering trading Alexander Nikishin.
The 24-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract and is ineligible to sign an offer sheet with another club.
So far, there’s no indication that the Hurricanes are closer to moving Nikishin.
The Hockey News’ Julian Gaudio noted that the St. Louis Blues were reportedly interested in the young Hurricanes blueliner. He indicated that they’ve already added notable younger talent to their roster this summer, acquiring forwards Mason McTavish, Connor McMichael, and Milton Gastrin.
Bringing in Nikishin would continue the Blues’ youth movement, but Gaudio pointed out that his fit on their blueline and the cost of acquiring and signing him are significant sticking points.
Nikishin was considered a future blueline star for the Hurricanes after a promising NHL debut, recording 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games last season. However, his role and his ice time diminished during the playoffs, finishing with one point in 17 games, raising questions about his place within the Hurricanes’ deep defensive core.
It’s currently unknown what asking price the Hurricanes have set for Nikishin. Gaudio pointed out that there was speculation they could prefer packaging the blueliner with Jesperi Kotkaniemi to get the latter’s $4.82 million cap hit off their books.
Kotkaniemi was expected to blossom into a second-line center when the Hurricanes signed him to an offer sheet in August 2021 while his rights remained with the Montreal Canadiens.
However, he struggled to fulfill that role, tumbling down the depth chart over the past two seasons. Kotkaniemi was a frequent healthy scratch last season and never played a single minute during the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run.
The Hurricanes were reportedly shopping Kotkaniemi without success, and packaging the 26-year-old center with Nikishin could be the best way to move him. However, clubs interested in Nikishin could be unwilling to take on a reclamation project as part of the deal.
Meanwhile, contract talks continue between the Hurricanes and Nikishin.
On July 30, RG Media’s Daria Tuboltseva reported that Nikishin was staying out of the negotiations, preferring to let his agent handle things. Nikishin also indicated that he wasn’t concerned about the trade rumors, saying they were “normal for us.”
The Hurricanes have $9.88 million in salary cap space for 2026-27, with Nikishin as their only unsigned roster regular.
If unable to find any takers for Nikishin, the Hurricanes could sign him to an affordable two-year bridge deal. However, his camp will likely prefer a more lucrative, longer-term contract.
Nikishin’s declining role with the Hurricanes, his lack of arbitration rights, and ineligibility to sign an offer sheet give him little leverage in this situation.
He could accept a short-term offer and attempt to battle his way back up the depth chart, or hope that another club desperate for a young, left-shot, puck-moving defenseman meets the Hurricanes’ asking price.
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