Hurricanes & Nikishin Situation Shifts After End-of-Season Trade Request

As if the Alexander Nikishin situation wasn’t already a huge storyline going into the 2026-27 season, it got more intriguing two weeks before opening night for the Carolina Hurricanes. Back at the end of July, Nikishin had an interview with RG Media with reporter Daria Tuboltseva, where they discussed his first season in Raleigh and the contract situation. Fast forward to Sept. 14, and there’s an indication that Nikishin might not be in Raleigh.

“Change of Scenery” for Nikishin?

According to Pierre LeBrun in his latest article with The Athletic (NHL rumblings: Latest on Gauthier, Fantilli, Batherson, Nikishin with countdown on to new CBA), Nikishin asked for a trade following the Stanley Cup Final. It was described as a “change of scenery” request. LeBrun stated, “…one thing that was made clear to me Monday is that the request remains in place.”

For all intents and purposes, it felt like the two sides were in a contract stalemate at the beginning of August. Now, with the latest news of the trade request, it sheds more light on the New York Rangers’ two sign-and-trade attempts. Nikishin just finished his two-year, $925,000 average annual value (AAV) entry-level contract (ELC) and tallied 11 goals and 33 points in his first full season in Carolina.

While it’s not known for certain, there is a belief that Nikishin wants more than $8 million annually and a bigger role. The thing is, it’s hard to argue for Nikishin to make more money than K’Andre Miller, who makes $7.5 million, and Jaccob Slavin, who makes $6.936 million. Furthermore, he has only played one full season in the NHL and just a tad over 20 playoff games.

Could he make $8 million annually at some point and have a bigger role? Yes, he could. However, that is not the case right now in Raleigh, especially with how the defense is set up. Slavin and Miller are the Hurricanes’ top two left-handed defensemen. Plus, Shayne Gostisbehere is the third-pairing left-handed defenseman, forcing Nikishin to play on his off-side.

With the cap going up to $104 million, plus players like Bowen Byram ($12.4 million AAV) and Zeev Buium ($9.380 million AAV) signing big extensions, it does shake up the market for younger defensemen. However, players like Miller and Slavin have shown they are worth the money. Plus, Buium at the very least has the potential to be a No. 1 defenseman with the Vancouver Canucks sooner rather than later. For Nikishin, it all depends on how things shake out in Raleigh.

All in all, the news that he wants a “change of scenery” after one season is a head-scratcher. Nikishin has no leverage over the Hurricanes, especially since he cannot be given an offer sheet, and the team controls his rights for another three seasons. Even if he wants a change, the Hurricanes don’t have to honor that request right away. They still want the best deal possible if they decide to trade him.

The Hurricanes won’t be hurting if they have to move on from Nikishin. They signed Joel Nystrom to a four-year extension during the 2025-26 season. He had a strong showing after playing over 30 games last season. Plus, they have Charles Alexis Legault, who played decently well before cutting his hand on a skate. Even with the signings of Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Mike Reilly, there are some talented younger defensemen in the Hurricanes’ system ready to go.

Regardless of how this plays out, the Hurricanes are still looked at as favorites to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. They’re bringing back over 98% of the roster, and when Seth Jarvis returns from surgery, the team will be back to full strength as they look to defend their Stanley Cup. The only question is: will Nikishin be in Raleigh, and if not, what is the return for the Russian defenseman?