Latest news with #Nikishin
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hurricanes Defenseman Recognized As KHL All-Star
What a year it's been for Alexander Nikishin. The touted prospect finally made his way to North America after years of hype and was even able get a few games under his belt in the NHL playoffs too. Advertisement The 23-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut facing one of his hockey idols in Alex Ovechkin, playing in Game 5 of the Carolina Hurricanes' second-round series against the Washington Capitals. While that game wasn't necessarily one to remember for him, Nikishin was forced back into the lineup due to additional injuries to the Hurricanes blueline and that's when he really started to impress. Despite facing the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, Nikishin looked calm and composed and was even tasked with playing significant minutes. He looked every bit an NHL regular despite that inexperience. Advertisement But before he was in North America, he was finishing up his sixth season in the KHL. Nikishin's final year in Russia was another big one as the 6-foot-3 defender racked up 17 goals and 46 points in 61 games while captaining SKA St. Petersburg. The talented blueliner was an integral piece for SKA, playing 20+ minutes nightly and in all situations. As such, he was recognized at the end of the year as one of six players selected to the 2025 KHL All-Star Team. Former Hurricane Josh Leivo was also named to the 2025 All-Star Team as he set the KHL single-season scoring record with a 49-goal campaign. Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rookie Blueliner Alexander Nikishin Already Playing Vital Role For Carolina Hurricanes
Alexander Nikishin is going to be a special player. Three games into his NHL career and that already feels like a bygone conclusion. Sure, he was one of the most hyped up prospects in a long time, but there's a huge difference between playing in the KHL and the NHL. But honestly, based on what we've seen so far, we should perhaps just throw away the 'going to be' part, because this hasn't just been 'playing in the NHL.' This isn't just some random mid-January game against the Anaheim Ducks, this is the Eastern Conference Final, in do-or-die games, yet Nikishin already like an NHL regular. The rookie defenseman has played north of 18 minutes in back-to-back games, filling in on the team's top four in the absence of Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker. He's looked calm, composed and just unfazed by the whole situation. You'd never guess that he had just three North American games under his belt with no training camp nor preseason experience. The play he made to spring Logan Stankoven for the game-winning goal in Game 4? Just ridiculous. An absolute dart from Logan Stankoven 🎯😮💨(via @NHL) — BarDown (@BarDown) May 27, 2025 And just the all around defensive game he showed against the defending Stanley Cup champs has been more than impressive. "I just like that he's not rattled and that he's just going out there and playing," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Sometimes these young kids come over and come in, even rookies, they don't realize the moment and how big it is. They're just playing hockey. Sometimes it takes a couple years to realize, 'Oh this is pretty important,' you know? He looks like he's unfazed. I don't know. I can't really tell you, but he's doing a great job for us." It wasn't like it was an immediate fit for Nikishin either, who had to wait several weeks for the chance to make his NHL debut. He was the first guy to jump into the lineup when Chatfield went down with injury, but in that game against the Washington Capitals, he turned the puck over multiple times and was just constantly in the wrong spots. "His first game wasn't very positive," Brind'Amour said. "It was a little rough. But now he looked like he's played more than one game in North America." So what gives? Well, for one, Nikishin has had plenty of time to learn the systems since coming over to North America in April. "[Assistant coach Tim Gleason] has worked with him daily on how we want to play," Brind'Amour said. "He knows how to play even with the language issues. He's picking it up really quickly and it's been a month now. He's been here and everyday he's going through stuff. That's really encouraging for an organization standpoint and for us trusting him." But there's also just the fact that he's had the opportunity to get the butterflies out and now he knows that he's being counted on in an important situation. And at the end of the day, elite players rise to the occasions. "I was really proud of how from one game to the next, it changed," Brind'Amour said. "We have a good one there for sure." Hindsight is 20/20, but with the way Nikishin is playing, it really makes you wonder if he could have made a difference in those first two games. "We went to him and it was a rough first outing, but obviously he's seizing the moment right now," Brind'Amour said. "It's a tough time of the year to come in as a rookie and play minutes like that, so it's huge," said Jaccob Slavin. "The games that they played tonight were awesome and I'd say a big congrats to Niki on his first point. That's awesome and happy for him." Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories! Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
In Game 4, everything finally came together for the Hurricanes. Is it enough?
SUNRISE, Fla. — After his third game in North America, not long after he helped the Carolina Hurricanes earn at least one more night in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Alexander Nikishin gave the first locker-room speech of his NHL career. He didn't speak for long; Nikishin, a 23-year-old Russian defenseman who in three KHL seasons went from a solid prospect to a player of intrigue to (it seemed) a ready-made difference-maker, has spent less than six weeks in the United States, and he's had plenty on his plate. Advertisement Someday, he'll have a firm grasp on the language. According to Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, after Carolina finally played their version of perfect hockey against the Florida Panthers and were rewarded with a 3-0 win on Monday, Nikishin kept it simple. Good game. Step by step. Good job. 'He's learning,' Slavin said. '(I'll) just keep working with him on it.' For now, though, there's not much left to say — not for Nikishin, not for Slavin and not for anyone else on the roster. They don't have time to waste, on the ice or off. To watch the game, indeed, was to be reminded of three things: that the Hurricanes are indeed capable of hanging with the defending champs for three full periods; that their margin for error — throughout a game and the series overall — is virtually nonexistent; and that it's a shame they failed to fully tap into this particular version of themselves at some point over the preceding six days. There's no point in denying what the Hurricanes would never deny themselves. They were really bad, then they were really good, and the path that lies before them is still really narrow. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour was asked about the danger of flying too high after Monday's result. 'We're not going to do that,' he said. 'But it is nice to, I think, enjoy it for a little bit. I think there's been a lot of crap thrown on this team. I think we can enjoy the game for a little bit. 'We know that they're not going away. This is not even a blip on the radar for them, is how they're looking at it. But we have to keep the gas down, or keep the hammer down and give us a chance again the next game.' The game Brind'Amour's team had just played, for all intents and purposes, followed the blueprints he'd laid out all series, all season and for the entirety of his time as Carolina's head coach. He wanted to score the first goal. He did not want turnovers. He wanted his team to control five-on-five play. He did not want his goaltender to face many shots. He wanted his goaltender to, when asked, handle business. Advertisement At times over the last week, all that — hitting all the marks, checking all the boxes, doing it all simultaneously in games against an opponent that looks frequently unbeatable — didn't just seem difficult. It seemed impossible. It wasn't. On Monday, Brind'Amour got everything he wanted. That first goal is when Nikishin entered the picture. This wasn't purely new for him; he made his playoff debut last round against the Washington Capitals in Carolina's series-clinching win. He showed flashes of the skill that's already made him a burgeoning folk hero in Raleigh, but more often than not, he looked lost. Brind'Amour noticed, sending him back to the press box and only putting him back in the lineup when injuries knocked out regular defensemen Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker. Game 3 was a step forward for Nikishin — Brind'Amour was dismayed that four rookies, Nikishin included, were some of Carolina's best players in a 6-2 meltdown loss. Game 4 was something else, though. Nikishin wasn't just surviving; he was providing the spark that Brind'Amour had spent three games chasing. Entering the game, the Hurricanes hadn't just been outscored 16-4. They'd never even held a lead. Nikishin helped change that, forcing a turnover at center ice that prevented Florida from sending the puck deep. A nice backhand pass to fellow rookie Logan Stankoven followed in short order. Stankoven, with the Panthers in the middle of bailing on a line change due to Nikishin's play, had enough space to get free and beat Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. 'It's a great, great feed by him, to make that play off the turnover,' Stankoven said. 'It all starts with him.' LOGAN STANKOVEN 🚨 The @Canes have the first goal in Game 4! #StanleyCup 🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ — NHL (@NHL) May 27, 2025 Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen, back in the lineup after he was benched for five periods of mediocre play, took it the rest of the way. Captain Jordan Staal said he 'dazzled.' Slavin compared him to a brick wall. Sebastian Aho said he was making every save look easy. Andersen finished with 20 saves on 20 shots and, according to Natural Stat Trick, 1.21 goals saved above expected. Advertisement By the end, after a pair of empty-netters, Carolina had themselves a win. It wasn't easy, but it was how Brind'Amour drew it up. Their playoff losing streak against the Panthers ended at seven. Their 15-game losing streak in the Eastern Conference finals (four with Brind'Amour as captain, 11 with him as coach) ended, too. Now all they have to do is repeat all that — first goal, minimal mistakes and high-end goaltending against hockey's most terrifying team — three more times. Simple enough. Nikishin might even stay in the lineup to help. If this was his third game, imagine number four. 'I just like that he's not rattled,' Brind'Amour said. 'Sometimes the young kids that come over, even rookies, they don't realize the moment, how big it is. (They're) just playing hockey. Sometimes it takes a couple of years and they're like, 'Whoa, this is really important.' He looks like he's unfazed.' Brind'Amour paused. 'I don't know. Can't really tell you.' (Photo of Alexander Nikishin: Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)
Fox Sports
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Top Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin makes his NHL debut in Game 5 at the Capitals
Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Alexander Nikishin is making his NHL debut for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday night at the Washington Capitals. Nikishin took the pre-warmups solo lap customary for players getting into their first game in the league, skating around helmetless before the rest of the team got onto the ice. The 23-year-old Russian defenseman did line rushes paired with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere. Jalen Chatfield was not on the ice, ruling him out of playing, after tweaking something late in the Hurricanes' Game 4 victory on Tuesday night that put them up 3-1 in the series. Carolina announced Chatfield was out with an undisclosed injury. Coach Rod Brind'Amour said Nikishin would only play if Chatfield did not feel up to it after skating earlier in the day. Nikishin is Carolina's top prospect who left the KHL this spring and signed his first NHL contract last month. SKA Saint Petersburg, mutually terminated his deal in that league to pave the way for Nikishin to go to North America immediately. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and recommended
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin makes his NHL debut in Game 5 at the Capitals
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alexander Nikishin is making his NHL debut for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday night at the Washington Capitals. Nikishin took the pre-warmups solo lap customary for players getting into their first game in the league, skating around helmetless before the rest of the team got onto the ice. The 23-year-old Russian defenseman did line rushes paired with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere. Advertisement Jalen Chatfield was not on the ice, ruling him out of playing, after tweaking something late in the Hurricanes' Game 4 victory on Tuesday night that put them up 3-1 in the series. Carolina announced Chatfield was out with an undisclosed injury. Coach Rod Brind'Amour said Nikishin would only play if Chatfield did not feel up to it after skating earlier in the day. Nikishin is Carolina's top prospect who left the KHL this spring and signed his first NHL contract last month. SKA Saint Petersburg, mutually terminated his deal in that league to pave the way for Nikishin to go to North America immediately. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
