Nikita Novikov

June 2025 – Novikov’s sophomore AHL campaign was quite similar to his rookie year, posting six goals, 14 assists and adding 52 penalty minutes in 68 games. The soon-to-be 22-year-old doesn’t project as an offensive option at the NHL level- his play driving thus far in the AHL has been minimal. He averages less than a shot per game and sees minimal power play time. If Novikov were to see an NHL call-up, expect him to play a more defensive, shutdown-type role in the bottom four and provide some peripheral category coverage. Alex Wyatt

July 2024- Novikov played 65 games with Rochester in his AHL rookie campaign this past year. He tallied three goals and 23 points, demonstrating improvements in his ability to assess defensive situations and position himself for better puck support. This has helped his team to transition the puck more effectively out of the defensive end and to counter-attack. Novikov has contributed at both ends of the ice this season, using his size, reach, and mobility to challenge his opposition. Improvements have been made regarding his offensive skill set, as he tends to be more assertive than in previous seasons. He was ranked first among his teammates in plus-minus with a rating of plus-20. 2023-2024 was a successful rookie season for the 20-year-old defender. Kevin Wong

May 2023 – Novikov played 62 games with Dynamo Moskva of the KHL in 2022-2023. As a shutdown defender, he scored just two goals and five points. His size and mobility are his strongest qualities, though he offers very little in playmaking and quarterbacking in the offensive zone. He tends to keep plays simple. Kevin Wong