Stanley Cup champion requested a trade, and the request is still active
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Alexander Nikishin's trade request from last season is reportedly still on the table, and Carolina has some tough decisions ahead this fall.
Training camp is almost here, and one storyline in Raleigh refuses to quiet down.
Alexander Nikishin reportedly asked out at the end of last season, and according to Pierre LeBrun, that request has never been pulled back.
For a team that just hoisted the Stanley Cup, it is not exactly the offseason update fans were hoping for, and it leaves general manager Eric Tulsky with one more puzzle to solve before puck drop.
What Nikishin brought to Carolina last season
The 24 year old defenseman put together a strong rookie campaign, racking up 33 points, including 22 assists, across 81 games while helping the Hurricanes win it all.
He also chipped in 94 blocked shots and 132 hits along the way, numbers that put him in some rare company among first year NHL defensemen.
His role still shrank during the playoff run behind a stacked blue line led by Jaccob Slavin and Shayne Gostisbehere, and that dip in usage appears to be a big part of why he wants a fresh start elsewhere.
Where things stand heading into camp
Nikishin remains an unsigned restricted free agent without arbitration rights and cannot sign an offer sheet, which keeps almost all the leverage on Carolina's side.
A new deal with the Hurricanes is really his only path unless the team decides to move him instead.
With his name still tied to Nashville, St. Louis and a possible Connor Hellebuyck package involving Winnipeg, this situation looks like it could carry right into the regular season.
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