One of the last major dominos remaining from the 2026 offseason finally fell on Sunday as Alexander Nikishin agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The deal, per the team, will pay the Russian defenseman $3 million this season and comes after the Hurricanes had already played 13 games this season.
“We’re glad that Alexander is returning to our group,” Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said in a release. “This has been a long process, but we look forward to him re-entering our locker room ready to contribute with the Hurricanes, as he did during a Stanley Cup championship season last year.”
Per PuckPedia, Nikishkin’s contract is entrely salary. After his one-year deal is completed, he’ll be both offer sheet and arbitration eligible, assuming he plays at least 10 games this season.
Nikishin and his representation requested a trade shortly after the season ended, per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, despite the Hurricanes capturing the Stanley Cup during his first full season in the NHL.
In late June, Carolina reportedly offered Nikishin and a first-round pick to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Connor Hellebuyck. However, the potential blockbuster stalled over Nikishin’s unwillingness to sign a long-term contract with Winnipeg, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The 25-year-old remained unsigned as a restricted free agent for the rest of the summer and did not report to training camp. In late September, Friedman reported that Nikishin was seeking a contract worth approximately $9 million annually over five years, although that figure could be lower with the right team. The Hurricanes subsequently explored a potential three-team deal involving Winnipeg and the St. Louis Blues, but still no deal materialized.
After Hellebuyck was dealt in a to the New Jersey Devils on Friday, Nikishin had few options left and ultimately decided to a sign a one-year, $3 million deal.
The short-term, inexpensive deal gives both sides a plethora of options both this season and over the summer if Nikishin still ultimately wants out. The 25-year-old will become eligible for contract arbitration and can receive offer sheets from other NHL teams, two avenues that weren’t available to him during this year’s holdout.
Nikishin joins the Hurricanes as they lead the Eastern Conference in standings points with 20.
