The rookie Russian blueliner reportedly wants out of Carolina, potentially seeking a larger role and increased power-play minutes that the Hurricanes' current depth chart simply cannot provide.
It seems like things are more complicated than we first thought when it comes to the Carolina Hurricanes and RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
At first it was thought that the standoff between the club and player came down to contract ask, as the Russian blueliner is reportedly seeking a big payday, but now it appears that he might not be sold on staying in Carolina at all.
According to TSN insider Pierre LeBrun, the 24-year-old defenseman requested a "change of scenery" at the end of last season and that that request is still there as the new year quickly approaches.
On the surface, one may ask why a rookie defender may want out after just a single year that ended in a Stanley Cup championship, but there's plenty of reasons why Nikishin may want a change.
For one, the Russian defender has the ability to take on a much bigger role than he currently has in Carolina.
Nikishin is coming off of a rookie season where he had 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games as a third-pairing, second power play guy.
He was the main man for SKA St. Petersburg back in his KHL days, playing around 30 minutes a night at times and being the top option in all situations.
He may feel underutilized by the Hurricanes and when it comes to career earnings, having the chance to put up big numbers goes a long way in that regard too.
Nikishin is blocked from PP1 by the presence of Shayne Gostisbehere and with Jaccob Slavin and K'Andre Miller signed long-term, there's not a spot on the left-side of the blueline.
While the defenseman has had his struggles defensively, he was learning a new system in a new league and so the question is will he be better in Year 2 and onward?
And honestly, his offensive package is what makes him such an intriguing player and Carolina would be cautious to entertain a trade just to meet his demands.
Nikishin also has virtually no leverage in the situation outside of potentially sitting out the start of the year, so the Hurricanes don't actually have to move him.
This may be the way things play out, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.
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