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Alexander Nikishin

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Alexander Nikishin
Nikishin playing for Russia in 2023
Born (2001-10-02) 2 October 2001 (age 24)
Oryol, Russia
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Carolina Hurricanes
Spartak Moscow
SKA Saint Petersburg
National team  Russia
NHL draft 69th overall, 2020
Carolina Hurricanes
Playing career 2019–present

Alexander Alexandrovich Nikishin (Russian: Александр Александрович Никишин; born 2 October 2001) is a Russian professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nikishin won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2026.

Playing career

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KHL

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Nikishin made his Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) debut for Spartak Moscow during the 2019–20 season. He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round of the 2020 NHL entry draft with the 69th overall pick.[1][2] Nikishin was expected to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes after his contract expired with SKA Saint Petersburg in the spring of 2025.[3]

Following three seasons in the KHL with Spartak Moscow, Nikishin was traded to SKA Saint Petersburg in exchange for five contracted players and the rights to four further players and an additional 50 million rubles on 31 July 2022.[4] With SKA Saint Petersburg, Nikishin's production improved, and he recorded 55 points in 65 games during the 2022–23 season. He was nominated for the Golden Stick Award, KHL's regular season MVP honor, which was ultimately won by his teammate Dmitri Jaskin, and named to the KHL's Golden Helmet Award all-star team.[5]

Nikishkin was named team captain for the 2023–24 season, and led his team in scoring with 56 points in 67 games, though his season ended with a 4–1 series loss to Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg in the second round of the 2024 Gagarin Cup playoffs.

His production was slightly lower in the 2024–25 season, resulting in 46 points in 61 games, good enough for second in team scoring, behind only Ivan Demidov.

NHL

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Following SKA Saint Petersburg's first round loss to Dynamo Moscow in the 2025 Gagarin Cup playoffs,[6] Nikishin had his KHL contract terminated on 11 April 2025.[7] The same day, he agreed to a two year, entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes and joined the team for the remainder of the 2024–25 season.[8][9] After the 2025–26 season he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.[10]

International play

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Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  ROC
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place2022 Beijing

Nikishin played for Russia at the 2021 Karjala Tournament[11] and the 2021 Channel One Cup.[12]

On 23 January 2022, Nikishin was named to the roster of the Russian Olympic Committee athletes for the 2022 Winter Olympics.[13]

He played for Russia at the Channel One Cup of 2022,[14] 2023, where he was recognized as the best defenceman of the tournament,[15] and 2024.[16]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2017–18 CSKA Moscow RUS U17 2 0 3 3 0 — — — — —
2018–19 MHC Krylya Sovetov MHL 62 8 17 25 55 — — — — —
2019–20 Spartak Moscow KHL 29 0 3 3 2 3 0 1 1 5
2019–20 MHK Spartak MHL 6 0 3 3 4 2 0 0 0 2
2019–20 Khimik Voskresensk VHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2020–21 Spartak Moscow KHL 20 1 4 5 4 4 0 0 0 2
2020–21 MHK Spartak MHL 1 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 2 2
2020–21 Khimik Voskresensk VHL 3 0 3 3 0 2 0 0 0 0
2021–22 Spartak Moscow KHL 46 8 4 12 39 3 1 1 2 0
2021–22 Khimik Voskresensk VHL — — — — — 3 0 2 2 2
2022–23 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL 65 11 44 55 50 16 4 4 8 10
2023–24 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL 6717395639 51014
2024–25 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL 6117294632 42132
2024–25 Carolina Hurricanes NHL ————— 40116
2025–26 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 8111223333 170112
KHL totals 28854123177166 35871523
NHL totals 8111223333 210228

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2022 ROC OG 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 6 0 0 0 4
Senior totals 6 0 0 0 4

Awards and honours

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Award Year Ref
NHL
NHL All-Rookie Team 2026 [10]
Stanley Cup champion 2026 [17]

References

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  1. ↑ "Alexander Nikishin". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. ↑ "2020 NHL Draft: Complete results, list of picks for Rounds 1-7". NBC. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  3. ↑ "Hurricanes GM Confirms Top Prospect Expected To Sign This Spring". The Hockey News. 3 January 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  4. ↑ "Александр Никишин – в СКА!" (in Russian). SKA Saint Petersburg. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "Дмитрий Яшкин — обладатель «Золотой клюшки»". Kontinental Hockey League (in Russian). 18 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Gusev reaches landmark, Dynamo reaches round two". en.khl.ru. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  7. ↑ SKA Saint Petersburg [@hcSKA_News] (11 April 2025). "Good luck, captain! 👏 SKA Hockey Club and Alexander Nikishin have mutually terminated his contract, with the defenseman joining the Carolina Hurricane" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 April 2025 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  8. ↑ "Hurricanes Agree To Terms With Nikishin". NHL.com. 11 April 2025. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  9. ↑ "SKA Saint Petersburg confirms Alexander Nikishin set to join Carolina Hurricanes". TSN. 11 April 2025. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  10. 1 2 "NHL announces 2025-26 All-Rookie Team". NHL.com. 12 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Объявлен состав сборной России на Кубок Карьяла". Kontinental Hockey League (in Russian). 26 October 2021. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022.
  12. ↑ "Объявлен состав сборной России на Кубок Первого канала". Kontinental Hockey League (in Russian). 6 December 2021.
  13. ↑ "ROC targets repeat gold". International Ice Hockey Federation. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "Стал известен состав сборной России на Кубок Первого канала". Kontinental Hockey League (in Russian). 6 December 2022.
  15. ↑ "Итоги и лауреаты Кубка Первого канала, проводы Евгения Кетова". Kontinental Hockey League (in Russian). 18 December 2023.
  16. ↑ "Железный Набоков, бомбардир Мороз, снайпер Сафонов. Итоги Кубка Первого канала". Kontinental Hockey League (in Russian). 16 December 2024.
  17. ↑ "Hurricanes win Stanley Cup with Game 6 shutout against Golden Knights". NHL.com. 15 June 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
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