Dmitry Orlov may be ready to join his good friend Evgeny Kuznetsov in Russia’s KHL as soon as next season.
According to a Russian report from Sport-Express’ Arthur Khairullin, Orlov is likely to sign with SKA Saint Petersburg after his contract expires with the Carolina Hurricanes in July. Khairullin says Carolina is set to replace Orlov with Alexander Nikishin, their 2020 third-round draft pick and current SKA defenseman.
“There is no doubt about Alexander Nikishin,” Khairullin writes per a translation on Google Translate. “He missed the beginning of the season, but confidently returned to the lineup, plays 25 minutes per game and shows himself to be an absolutely ready defenseman for the first two pairs of Carolina. After this season, he should replace Dmitry Orlov in the Hurricanes lineup, who will most likely sign with SKA.”
Orlov is an unrestricted free agent next summer after the two-year, $15.5 million deal he signed with the Hurricanes expires. The 33-year-old blueliner inked a contract with Carolina after spending the latter portion of the 2022-23 campaign with the Boston Bruins and being dealt by the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline.
The Russian defender has played pro hockey in North America since 2011, when he came over to play 19 games for the Hershey Bears at the end of the 2010-11 campaign. He then played 11 seasons for Washington before being traded to Boston. The Capitals selected him in the second round of the 2009 NHL Draft from the KHL’s Metallurg Novokuznetsk, where he played for parts of four seasons.
Kuznetsov, Orlov’s longtime teammate, jumped back to the KHL this past offseason. He mutually terminated the final year of his contract with the Hurricanes to sign with SKA. Soon after the move, Kuznetsov revealed that he hoped Orlov would eventually join him on the Saint Petersburg-based club.
“I think it won’t be long,” Kuznetsov said then. “I think we’ll reunite next year (laughs). It’s a joke. It’s always nice with Dima, we communicate well. He knows the real Zhenya Kuznetsov. He is one of the few people I can share with. We are in constant contact.
“In a year, I hope [he comes]. This is my wish and that of another person (laughs).”
Orlov is again playing third-pairing minutes for the Hurricanes this season, partnering with Jalen Chatfield. After a 26-point season last year, he has two points (2a) through six games this season.
Kuznetsov’s deal with SKA is for four years, so even if Orlov does sign one more short-term deal in the NHL, the two could still reunite on SKA at some point.
