Canes sign D Alexander Nikishin to two-year contract

The Carolina Hurricanes signed Russian defenseman Alexander Nikishin to a two-year contract Friday.

The entry-level deal will pay him $832,500 for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, plus a $185,000 signing bonus.

Nikishin, 23, tallied 46 points (17 goals, 29 assists) in 61 games as the SKA St. Petersburg captain in 2024-25.

"We are grateful for Alexander's time with SKA, a premier European hockey franchise, which helped him develop into one of the top prospects in hockey," Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said. "His size and skill have allowed him to have a record-breaking career in the KHL, and we believe he will be an impactful player in the NHL."

In 2022-23, Nikishin set a single-season KHL record for scoring by a Russian-born blueliner with 55 points (11 goals, 44 assists) in 65 games). He broke his own record in 2023-24 with 56 points (17 goals, 39 assists) in 67 games.

Nikishin was named KHL Defenseman of the Month seven times over the past three seasons.

The Hurricanes drafted Nikishin in the third round (69th overall) in 2020. He captured a silver medal with Russia at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Nikishin joins Carolina in time for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Hurricanes have four regular-season games left before facing the New Jersey Devils in the opening round.

--Field Level Media