Negotiations on a new contract for restricted free agent d-man Alexander Nikishin (CAR) remain ongoing on the eve of the start to the 2026-27 NHL regular season. Nikishin is seeking a a 5-year, $9 million AAV deal from the Canes, similar to that of d-man Zeev Buium’s contract in Vancouver dollar-wise, but with a shorter term (Buium’s contract has an AAV of $9.38 million, but runs for 8 seasons). Carolina’s current cap space is $8.4 million, making such a deal workable with a bit of restructuring.
Several teams have been mentioned in acquiring Nikishin, including the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets. However, the Rangers appear to be out of the picture, as they have resolved their need for a left-shot d-man internally with the emergence of first-round pick (5th overall) Alberts Smits, who will be on the roster at the start of the new season. Also, with respect to Winnipeg, there is concern that he wouldn’t sign with the Jets, although he has not stated this publicly. There is the possibility of a three-team trade to rectify this situation, although whether that is a likely scenario is an unknown at this point.
