Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Moves past concussion
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Nikishin (concussion) has been cleared to play in Game 3 versus the Flyers on Thursday, Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reports Tuesday.
Now that he's moved past the concussion he sustained in the first round against Ottawa, Nikishin will more than likely link back up with Shayne Gostisbehere on the third pairing. Mike Reilly will come out of the lineup due to Nikishin being an option for Game 3. The 24-year-old Nikishin recorded six hits and five blocked shots while averaging 16:30 of ice time over four games against the Senators in the first round.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Not expected to play in Game 2
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Nikishin (concussion) isn't expected to play in Monday's Game 2 against the Flyers, Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reports.
Nikishin sustained a concussion during Game 4 of the Hurricanes' first-round series against Ottawa, and he'll be unavailable for a second consecutive matchup to begin the second round. However, he was cleared for contact late last week and seems to be trending in the right direction in his recovery process.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Not ready for Game 1
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Nikishin (concussion) won't be in the lineup for Game 1 of the second round versus the Flyers on Saturday, Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reports.
Nikishin was considered a game-time decision, but he apparently hasn't cleared the last hurdle to return to action. The 24-year-old defenseman doesn't seem to be far off at this point, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him back at some point during this series.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Set to be game-time call
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Nikishin (concussion) appears poised to be a game-time decision against Philadelphia on Saturday in Game 1, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports.
Nikishin still has one more test to take before clearing concussion protocol, and the Hurricanes will determine his playing status closer to pregame warmups. He hasn't earned a point in four playoff appearances, collecting two shots on goal, five blocked shots and six hits. The 24-year-old rookie registered 11 goals and 22 assists in 81 games during the 2025-26 regular season.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Cleared for contact
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Nikishin (concussion) wore a regular jersey during Friday's practice session, Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reports.
Nikishin also skated on the second power-play unit and could be on track to play in Game 1 against the Flyers on Saturday. If he does play, the blueliner figures to link up with Shayne Gostisbehere on the third pairing, while Mike Reilly will remain in the press box as a healthy scratch.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Diagnosed with concussion
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Nikishin was officially diagnosed with a concussion suffered during Saturday's 4-2 win over the Senators, the Hurricanes announced Sunday.
The injury was suffered after a massive open-ice hit thrown by Tyler Kleven. With Nikishin's diagnosis, the 24-year-old will now have to clear the NHL's concussion protocol in order to return to the ice. The good news for him is that the Hurricanes dispatched the Senators in a sweep, so Carolina will have some time off before the next round, giving the young defenseman a chance to recover. Nikishin finished with no points and a plus-1 rating in the four games against the Senators.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Makes franchise history in win
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Nikishin scored a shorthanded goal and added three hits Thursday in a 5-1 win over the Blue Jackets.
Nikishin's shorthanded goal was the first by a rookie defenseman in franchise history, including the Hartford Whalers era. He sits 13th in rookie scoring overall this season (11 goals, 19 assists). Nikishin has returned the top power-play role to Shayne Gostisbehere, but it's clear he has the ability to play maestro with the man advantage. Nikishin's future as a true top option could arrive very soon.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Pots game-winner in overtime
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Nikishin scored a goal on four shots and added two PIM in Friday's 4-3 overtime win over the Maple Leafs.
The goal, Nikishin's 10th of the season, came 41 seconds into overtime. He has three goals and two assists over his last seven contests and has played a larger power-play role recently in the absence of Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body). Nikishin has 27 points, 110 shots on net, 115 hits, 74 blocked shots, 29 PIM and a plus-12 rating over 68 outings as a rookie this season.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Strikes on power play in loss
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Nikishin scored a power-play goal, added two hits and blocked two shots in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Flames.
Nikishin is in for a short-term boost on the power play while Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body) is sidelined. The goal Saturday ended Nikishin's seven-game point drought, so a few more looks in prime situations may be just what he needs to reignite his offense. The rookie defenseman is at eight goals, 23 points (seven on the power play), 97 shots on net, 109 hits, 70 blocked shots and a plus-11 rating over 62 outings this season.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Pots goal Sunday
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Nikishin scored a goal on two shots in Sunday's 3-2 overtime win over the Kings.
Nikishin has earned two goals, six points, 21 shots on net, 19 hits and 11 blocked shots over his last 12 outings. The defenseman's third-period tally Sunday put the Hurricanes ahead 2-0, though the Kings got on the board just 24 seconds later. Nikishin is up to seven goals, 22 points, 86 shots, 99 hits, 62 blocked shots and a plus-10 rating over 54 appearances this season.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Slated to play Saturday
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Nikishin (ankle) is expected to play Saturday versus Detroit.
Nikishin appeared to sustain an ankle injury against Florida on Tuesday, but it seems he won't miss a game due to the issue. He has four goals, 13 points, 69 hits and 46 blocked shots across 35 appearances in 2025-26.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Showing future star potential
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Nikishin scored a goal Saturday in a 2-1 loss to Boston.
He wired a slap shot from the slot late in the third period with the extra skater on the ice for Carolina's lone goal. Nikishin has a goal and an assist in his last two games. He has produced two tallies, six points, 21 shots on net and a plus-10 rating through 11 contests this season. He's already in the hunt for the Calder Trophy as the best rookie. Due to injuries, he is on the top pairing and has been working on the second power-play unit. Nikishin is a star in the making.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Buries first goal
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Nikishin scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Ducks.
Nikishin has opened the season with a four-game point streak consisting of one goal and three assists. His tally Thursday was the first of his NHL career. The 24-year-old rookie has added eight shots on net, 10 hits, five blocked shots and a plus-6 rating. While he's been at least somewhat sheltered on the Hurricanes' third pairing, his adjustment to the NHL is clearly going well, and he offers multi-category upside in fantasy.
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Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin: Collects assist Thursday
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Nikishin recorded an assist in Thursday's 6-3 win over New Jersey.
It was Nikishin's first career regular-season game in the NHL, though he did already record an assist in four NHL playoff outings with Carolina last year. The 24-year-old also had a plus-3 rating, one shot, three hits and two blocks in Thursday's victory. It's a great start to the season for Nikishin, but keep in mind that he's serving on the third pairing and isn't expected to get regular power-play ice time, so his offensive contributions will likely be limited in 2025-26.
