Key Takeaways
- Alexander Nikishin prepares for his first full NHL season with Carolina after making his playoff debut last spring.
- The Russian blueliner stressed his main goal is to contribute effectively and “not be the weak link” on the roster.
- Nikishin credits teammates like Dmitry Orlov for easing his adjustment while focusing on training and professionalism.
Hurricanes rookie Alexander Nikishin (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Alexander Nikishin has been regarded as one of the top young players outside the NHL in recent years. Last spring, the Russian defenseman finally made the move to North America. On April 11, after finishing his season in Russia, he signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. He only saw action in the playoffs, meaning his regular-season debut will come this fall. The 23-year-old blueliner is now preparing for his first full NHL campaign and already planning the next few weeks. He told RG that he will head to the United States in early September.
“I think at the beginning of September. Soon I’ll probably be buying tickets. The plan is to be there starting in September,” Nikishin said in an exclusive interview with RG.
The player explained that he wanted to spend more time with family and friends, which is why he didn’t leave earlier. He has been splitting his summer between his hometown of Orel and St. Petersburg, where he played three seasons with SKA. “Honestly, I think I should have gone to the U.S. earlier. But your first season is always a bit tough mentally – you know you won’t see your loved ones for almost a whole year. That’s why I wanted to spend more time with them,” he admitted.
When it comes to training, the Hurricanes only gave him recommendations. “I spoke with the strength and conditioning coach. He gave me a list of exercises he recommends. Nobody forces you to do them, it’s just advice. Of course, I included those exercises in my plan. Plus, I listen to my body – when I got there, I immediately felt I needed to add certain things, so I worked on that,” Nikishin explained.
Choosing Home Over America
This is his first summer preparing for an NHL season while staying in Russia – unlike fellow rising star Ivan Demidov, who chose to remain in Canada to train. The two briefly played together for SKA in the KHL.
“I thought about it. But this is my first NHL summer, and I decided to come home – be with family, take care of some personal matters. Maybe next summer I’ll stay in North America, but I don’t want to plan too far ahead. Of course, in the U.S. everything is there for hockey – everyone trains and skates together, it’s very convenient and fun. Vanya enjoys Montreal, he really embraced the atmosphere right away. But I had some personal reasons that made it necessary to return to Russia. There was no way I could spend the whole summer there this time,” he said.
Nikishin added that he and Demidov stay in touch, but not too frequently. “We call and chat, but not every day – maybe once a week or once every two weeks,” he said.
His first impressions of the NHL were striking. “Of course! Everything is different. Without the Russian guys it would have been much harder. My English was worse than Vanya’s. He prepared more – he studied the language seriously, while I took it easier. I regretted that a bit. But the guys helped me,” Nikishin admitted.
The difference in their adaptation also came down to circumstances. “Vanya got into the regular season right away. For me, because of visa issues and other details, things took longer. But overall, I’m very happy. The toughest part, of course, is the language. That’s the main challenge. I spent the whole summer studying English, and even though I’m far from fluent, I’ve made progress. My vocabulary has improved. I still can’t give an interview in English, but I can communicate with the guys much more comfortably now,” he said.
Nikishin also denied rumors that his decision to join Carolina was connected to Demidov signing with Montreal.
“No, that’s not true. We never even discussed it. He went his own way, I went mine. Our contracts ended, and each of us made our own choice,” the defenseman stressed.
A Debut Under Pressure
Nikishin’s debut stretch with Carolina was intense, filled with waiting, nerves, and his first steps in the NHL. For nearly a month, he watched games from the press box before finally getting a chance to play.
“Of course, I studied a lot – how the team defends, how they attack. But watching and playing are two very different things. I understood why I wasn’t in the lineup right away – the roster was set, the guys had played all season, and I had just arrived. My job was to prepare and wait for an opportunity. It came because of injuries and the need for replacements. Naturally, I wanted to play rather than just practice, but I knew this was the way it would go,” Nikishin said.
He made his debut in Game 2 of the playoffs against Washington. Nikishin had two shots on goal in 10:33 of ice time, helping the Hurricanes beat the Capitals 3–1 to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. He revealed that the decision to put him in the lineup was made on game day. “The first time I dressed as a reserve for warmups but didn’t play. That was just experience. The second time, during the morning skate, they said, ‘You’ll go in, we’ll see.’ And right before the game they confirmed I would play. That’s how it happened,” he recalled.
His very first NHL shift wasn’t easy. “Overall, the game was tough. I hadn’t played for a long time, plus the emotions were high – everything built up at once. My head was spinning. It was hard but also exciting, and everyone was battling out there. Of course, I was nervous. I even took a penalty, which I worried about. I didn’t want to let the team down. Honestly, I wasn’t very happy with my game, but the main thing was that the team won,” he said.
One memorable moment from his debut was a collision with Alexander Ovechkin. Nikishin, however, noted that he doesn’t focus on names once the game starts. “When you’re on the ice, you switch quickly – you don’t really watch who you’re up against. You just see an opponent and concentrate on your job. Of course, afterward you think about it and analyze it, but in the moment you’re only focused on the play,” he explained.
In his third game for Carolina, Nikishin recorded his first NHL point with an assist. “In the NHL I felt a bit different. The system is not the same, so I tried to play more cautiously, more reliably. We’ll see how it goes, I don’t want to predict too much. But of course, it was nice to get that first point, even though in the playoffs it wasn’t the most important thing for me,” he said.
Language remained a challenge, but teammate Dmitry Orlov helped him a lot. “Yes, Dima helped on the bench when the coach said something. Many hockey terms are used in Russia too, so I understood the basics. Of course, I didn’t know everything, but I had the foundation,” Nikishin said.
Orlov played an important role in his early adjustment, but the two will now be on different teams. Orlov left the Hurricanes this summer to sign with the San Jose Sharks. “Of course, it’s a pity. I would have liked to play with him longer. But that’s hockey – things change. The important thing is we got to spend some time together, and he helped me a lot at the start,” Nikishin admitted.
Adapting to Carolina
Nikishin acknowledges that adapting to Carolina’s system has been a demanding process. The Russian defenseman had to quickly learn the details of a very structured game plan.
“It was tough. The team has a very clear system, and it’s not easy to memorize everything at once. But the coaches helped – they showed video, broke things down. I understood the basics quickly, but in games unexpected situations come up, and you need to adjust,” he explained.
Head coach Rod Brind’Amour left a strong impression. “He’s strict and demanding. He wants players to give maximum effort. We didn’t speak very often – mostly through the guys – but it’s clear he values discipline and commitment,” Nikishin noted.
He also praised the NHL atmosphere, describing how every game feels like an event.
“Each game is a celebration. Every arena has its own unique things. I remember my first home game in Carolina – the atmosphere was incredible, gave me goosebumps. It really fires you up. Hockey may not be everywhere in the city, but everyone knows when the team is playing, and they support us. There’s advertising, the streets are full of fans in jerseys before and after games,” he said.
Looking ahead, Nikishin is focused on being well-prepared.
What impressed him most was the professionalism of NHL players in training and recovery. “In the NHL, I saw how seriously players approach everything. Whether it’s the gym or the ice, they always work at full intensity. Each guy has his own routine – warm-up, recovery, nutrition. It’s a whole different level of discipline. I was used to a more stretched-out rhythm, but here everything is quick, sharp, at maximum effort. I tried to pick up details, especially from the older guys,” Nikishin said.
He paid close attention to Carolina’s leaders. “Watching Brent Burns, Jordan Staal, Dima Orlov, Jaccob Slavin – it was all very valuable. Every defenseman had something useful I could learn. In general, on this team, each guy does things in his own way, and there’s always something to take from it,” Nikishin added.
