Alexander Nikishin

October 2024 – After dealing with an injury that kept him out of most of the KHL playoffs and the season opener for SKA, Alexander Nikishin is back in form for the most part. After adding Tony Deangelo, Nikishin has been taken off the point on the top power play and moved to the bumper, which has been a change for him, but he’s still producing at the rate he’s done in the past. At 5v5, he’s still having good showings while also showing some signs of not being fully recovered, relying on his physicality to get the puck loose rather than his skill. This hasn’t stopped him from being SKA’s top defender, as he’s currently averaging over 25 minutes a night since returning from injury. Nikishin still projects to join the Carolina Hurricanes after this current KHL season and contribute in all facets of the game. Nick Bass

June 2024 – Arguably a top-five NHL-affiliated prospect in the world, Alexander Nikishin is a unicorn. With a unique blend of size, skating, and overall ability, he’s carved out the top defenseman role for one of the best teams in the KHL. This past season was his best yet, as he had 17 goals and 39 assists for 56 points in 67 games in the regular season while chipping in a goal over five games in the playoffs before getting hurt. That point total is now the third-highest single-season point total by a defenseman in KHL history, which is impressive for a player who is just 22 years old. Nikishin won the best defenseman award and was the only defenseman nominated for the KHL MVP. His contract with SKA ends after the conclusion of the 2024/25 season, and from what I have seen, Nikishin will likely come to North America after this next season. Nick Bass

June 2023 – A season to remember for Nikishin sees him develop into a legit first-pairing defenseman for an SKA team that lost in the conference finals to the eventual champion, CSKA. In the regular season, Nikishin has 55 points in 65 games (a 43-point improvement from 21-22), which was good enough for first-in points for a defenceman in the entire KHL! Nikishin played in all situations, has physicality beyond his age, and somehow monumentally improved his point production. On his arrival, he will step into the Hurricanes lineup in 2024-25 and probably assume a top-four role. Nick Bass

March 2022 – Nikishin is a big-bodied 20-year-old, at 6 foot 4 and 220 pounds already. He has eight goals and four assists in 46 KHL games for Spartak Moskva, which is good for just outside as a defenseman. He is playing just under 19 minutes a night, with over a hit, shot, and block a game while leading the team in penalty minutes. If Nikishin makes his way to North America and gets on with the Hurricanes, he could be a decent peripheral player, depending on your league’s settings. Alex Wyatt

March 2021 – Nikishin played in all levels of Russian hockey this season but spent most of his season in the KHL (20 games) with Spartak Moskva. Although his role in the KHL was limited, he managed a goal and four assists during the regular season and appeared in four playoff games. After his KHL season was over, he went back to the MHL for two playoff games. Austin Broad