Russian defense prospect Alexander Nikishin is poised to make his National Hockey League debut for the Carolina Hurricanes during Game 5 against the Washington Capitals. His first NHL appearance comes as the Hurricanes have an opportunity to secure a spot in the Western Conference Final.
According to a report from Elliotte Friedman, the highly-regarded blueliner is slated to play in the pivotal Thursday night matchup.
Nikishin`s inclusion in the lineup follows the team`s announcement shortly before the game that defenseman Jalen Chatfield would be unavailable due to an undisclosed injury, creating an opening.
The Hurricanes officially registered Nikishin`s contract on April 26th, making him eligible for participation in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Previously, Nikishin`s agent, Ryan Barnes, stated that they had been coordinating with Carolina regarding Alexander`s status and expressed enthusiasm for him to join the Hurricanes, addressing earlier reports from Russia about potential complications in negotiations.
It was also reported last week that the top defense prospect was granted permission to travel to the United States from Saudi Arabia, although subsequent progress on his travel plans had reportedly slowed.
The 23-year-old, a six-foot-four left-shot defenseman, recorded an impressive 17 goals and 29 assists for a total of 46 points in 61 games this past season while playing for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL.
Nikishin was selected by the Hurricanes with the 69th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. SKA Saint Petersburg confirmed earlier this month that they had released the defenseman to allow him to pursue his NHL aspirations. Following this, Carolina announced that Nikishin had signed an entry-level contract with the organization.
With the official registration of his contract, Nikishin`s much-anticipated NHL debut is now set to occur.
Fans can watch Nikishin and the Hurricanes compete for a series victory over the Capitals in Game 5, scheduled for 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Tristan Blackwood