Hurricanes’ Alexander Nikishin Reportedly Seeking $9MM Salary

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin continues to sit without a contract for the 2026-27 season after requesting a trade away from the Stanley Cup champions earlier in the summer. A trade to the New York Rangers nearly came together – but fell apart during New York’s contract negotiations with Nikishin. As the restricted free agent continues to hold out, his hopes for a new contract are becoming clearer. Nikishin is seeking a five-year, $45MM contract, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on First Up with Korolnek and Colaicovo.

A $9MM salary would place Nikishin in company with Jackson LaCombe, Luke Hughes, and Lane Hutson. All three set that price tag immediately after their entry-level contract, though each of them also signed for seven or eight years. They also earned their deals after rising to their team’s top pair – and, in the case of LaCombe and Hutson, emerging as star defenders. Nikishin’s request for a similar salary, and shorter term, seems rich compared to other burgeoning, young defenders. He spent most of his rookie season on Carolina’s bottom-pair, being strategically deployed behind well-rounded veterans. More than that, Nikishin has only committed one season to the NHL so far – where LaCombe, Hughes, and Hutson each had multiple seasons under their belt before their extension.

A closer comparable to Nikishin’s next deal could be Vancouver Canucks defender Zeev Buium – who signed an eight-year, $75.04MM contract set to kick in next season. Buium – like other promising, young defenders – signed a long-term deal that effectively moved him into his team’s premier role. But unlike his peers, Buium earned it with just one season in the NHL, split between the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks. He scored six goals, 26 points, and a minus-33 in 76 games over that year – marks that fall below Nikishin’s totals. The Canucks nonetheless opted to commit to Buium for the long-term, banking on his talents shining through after a prolific collegiate career that included a National Championship.

Still, Nikishin’s disconnect from other young defenders could be why New York struggled to come to terms with Nikishin. But a bold request could come with a strong return. Nikishin scored 11 goals and 33 points, to go with 33 penalty minutes and a plus-18, through his rookie season. Only 25 other rookie defensemen have scored as much, or more, than Nikishin since 2010. Of the bunch, only four also recorded at least 100 hits – Moritz Seider, Aaron Ekblad, Nikita Zaitsev, and Colton Parayko. That will be the pack that Nikishin’s rookie performance places him among, regardless of a cushioned role in Carolina’s lineup.

The 25 year old only faces the test of standing up to a top-pair role at the NHL level. He already proved capable of filling a top-defender role in Russia’s KHL, standing as arguably the league’s best defenseman between 2022 and 2025. Nikishin averaged 15 goals, 52 points, and 64 games per season in that span. He stood as a formidable, two-way defender offering punch on both sides of the puck. In the NHL, Nikishin’s mix of goal-scoring and physicality has become increasingly rare. Only 23 defenders – active after the year 2020 – have recorded at least one season with double-digit goals and triple-digit hits. The list includes stars like Drew Doughty and Kris Letang, as well as reliable depth like Carson Soucy, Dmitry Orlov, and Sean Walker.

Leaving KHL stardom for an NHL career that kicks off with a Stanley Cup win, immediately followed by contract negotiations, is an incredibly unique spot for Nikishin to sit in. While his range of outcomes seems vast, his sole season at the top flight showed a lot of reason to be excited. Nikishin seems due to climb up the lineup – and will hold to a trade request until he can find a landing spot, and contract, that makes that possible. Many teams have expressed interest in the promising defender throughout the summer – including the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators. Nikishin has also made it clear that a return to the KHL isn’t an option. That will leave him in the murky middle, away from NHL lineups, until Carolina can find the right fit. A clearer view at his desired contract could be just the thing that reengages interested teams – or pulls in new options searching for an early-season upgrade.