The St. Louis Blues have had an interesting summer already. They traded Jordan Kyrou to Washington. They flipped assets and landed Mason McTavish at the draft. But they’ve been quiet since free agency started. That might not last.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, St. Louis has “taken a long look” at Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin. The 24-year-old Russian just finished his first full NHL season — and he won a Stanley Cup with Carolina. He’s a restricted free agent right now, so the Hurricanes hold his rights.
Why an offer sheet won’t work here
If you’re thinking the Blues could just throw an offer sheet at Nikishin the way Philadelphia did with Leo Carlsson, think again. Nikishin hasn’t hit the professional experience threshold required for offer sheet eligibility. So any team that wants him has to go through Carolina directly. That means a trade, plain and simple.
Nikishin’s numbers are solid for a rookie defenseman. He scored 11 goals and 33 points across 82 games. He plays heavy minutes and brings a physical edge. The playoffs were tougher — he averaged under 15 minutes in 17 games and struggled to find his rhythm. But the Hurricanes still won it all, so you can’t really knock the guy for that.
Carolina has at least explored moving him. Friedman suggests nothing has come close enough to make them pull the trigger. The Blues might have pieces that fit. They’re not necessarily desperate to give up a roster player, though. St. Louis has picks and prospects that could get a deal done without messing with the NHL lineup.
The Blues need help on the blue line. Nikishin is young, cost-controlled for a while longer, and already has a ring. That combination is hard to find. Carolina might not want to move him. But if St. Louis keeps pushing, something could crack open before summer ends.
Fans in St. Louis should probably keep their eyes on this one. It’s the kind of move that doesn’t make huge headlines until it suddenly does.
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