Blues Reignite Trade Interest In Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin
Per Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic, the Blues continue to have interest in the Carolina Hurricanes restricted free agent, but only if the price lands somewhere they like.
Nearly a month into free agency, Nikishin is one of just 10 restricted free agents around the league without a deal for 2026-27.
Why Carolina Might Move Him
Shortly before the 2026 NHL Draft, TSN's Darren Dreger reported the Hurricanes had put Nikishin into trade talks while weighing a long-term extension against what a deal could return.
Carolina has not picked a lane since, and upwards of six teams checked in on him earlier this summer, per Dreger.
Hypothetical NHL Trade Proposal!
— Castronator (@KsAndGinos) July 25, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes trade to the St. louis Blues:
• Alexander Nikishin
24 yrs old
6ft 3, 218lbs
RFA; seeking $7-8M per season
2nd/1st pair 200-foot d-man
• 4th rd pick 2027
in exchange for:
• Dalibor Dvorsky (C)
21 yrs old
6ft 1, 207lbs
2…
The Hurricanes are sitting on roughly $10 million in projected cap space, and Nikishin is the only player on their NHL roster still waiting on a new deal, which gives Carolina its own reason to eventually settle the situation.
Crucially, Nikishin is not eligible for an offer sheet, so a trade is the only path for any interested team to acquire him.
The Two Obstacles
The first hurdle is the Robert Thomas problem.
Carolina was one of the teams that wanted Thomas at last season's deadline, and he was believed to be the piece that could have made a Nikishin deal easiest.
But new Blues GM Alexander Steen has taken his top center off the table, closing the door on the framework that once looked most logical.
Hope Alexander Nikishin is ok pic.twitter.com/ncSJuiYrhI https://t.co/AzMu6Lkd3H
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 25, 2026
The second hurdle is the price tag.
Per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Hurricanes are telling interested teams they must also take on Jesperi Kotkaniemi and the four years remaining on his $4.82 million cap hit to land Nikishin.
Elliotte Friedman reported that St. Louis has taken a "long look" at the 24-year-old, but Carolina wants an established roster player in return rather than a package of futures, and a first-round pick on its own has not gotten anyone close.
The Player And The Fit
Nikishin is worth the noise.
The 24-year-old left-shot defenseman posted 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games as a rookie, was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team, and led rookie defensemen with 132 hits while adding 94 blocked shots and 10 power-play points.
He then won the Stanley Cup with Carolina, though his role diminished in the playoffs after he absorbed a heavy hit in the first round against Ottawa.
He remains a solid two-way defenseman capable of playing in any situation, with the ability to quarterback a power play.
The Blues are retooling this offseason, having traded Jordan Kyrou while adding Mason McTavish and Brandon Carlo, and are still looking to make more moves.
The complication is that if St. Louis has real hopes of contending, giving up a significant package plus absorbing Kotkaniemi's contract for one defenseman is a steep cost.
Other suitors, including the Rangers and Canucks, could push harder if Carolina seriously entertains offers, potentially leaving the Blues behind in a bidding war.
