Blues Remain Interested In Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin; Plenty Of Complications Exist

The St. Louis Blues have added plenty of young talent this off-season, and they remain on the prowl for another young left-handed defenseman in the Carolina Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin.Rumors began linking the Blues to Nikishin earlier this off-season when the Hurricanes revealed they were willing to listen to trade offers for Nikishin.The 24-year-old defender is currently a restricted free agent without a contract. The Russian defender made his long-awaited move to the NHL near the conclusion of the 2024-25 NHL season, but played his first full NHL season this year.In his rookie year, Nikishin scored 11 goals and 23 points in 81 games, finishing seventh in Calder Trophy voting and landing on the All-Rookie first team. He featured in 17 playoff games as the Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup.But despite all the promise he showed, the Hurricanes are open to moving on from him, largely due to their left-handed defensive depth of Jaccob Slavin, K'Andre Miller, and Shayne Gostisbehere.With the defensive situation in Carolina and the rumored asking price for Nikishin around $8 million, it makes sense that the Hurricanes are gauging the market. With no resolution in sight, teams will keep calling, and according to The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford, the Blues remain one of the leading candidates.Nikishin fits every need of the Blues. He boasts a 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame, is a strong defender, and brings solid offensive instincts. With Nikishin and Philip Broberg as the Blues' top two left-handed defenders, the Blues would be set for the long haul.Blues Reportedly Among Several Teams Interested In Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin Blues Reportedly Among Several Teams Interested In Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin According to TSN’s Darren Dreger and, recently, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the St. Louis Blues are one of the numerous teams with interest in Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin. The issue the Blues face is determining whether Nikishin is a good fit; it's whether they are willing to pay the price to trade for him, and if they believe he is worth the contract he desires.What the Hurricanes are hoping to receive in return has not been revealed. Still, the Canes have been determined to move on from Jesperi Kotkaniemi's $4.82 million salary, and some speculation suggests that Carolina might be inclined to include Kotkaniemi in a Nikishin trade.Adding what could be $13 million against the salary cap is a difficult feat for most teams, especially the Blues, who currently only have about $4.3 million in cap space, according to puckpedia.com.Nikishin would be a great addition for the Blues and would provide them with a real foundation on the left side of their defense.For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.