The Rangers had a deal for Alexander Nikishin on the table, but the contract negotiations fell through.
According to reports, the New York Rangers were quite close to signing Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin, however the deal fell apart when the teams were unable to agree on a contract.
Earlier this offseason, according to NHL insider Elliot Friedman, the Rangers and Hurricanes had a trade framework in place for Nikishin. Because New York and Nikishin’s team couldn’t agree on his next deal, the transaction ultimately couldn’t be finished.
The Primary Obstacle Was the Agreement
According to reports, the sticker price was the major problem.
Nikishin was supposedly looking for a five-year deal with a yearly value of around $9 million. Friedman stated that while the sides may not have been significantly far apart, the Rangers were unwilling to reach that number.
That would have been a huge jump for the 24-year-old defenseman, who had a $925,000 cap hit during his rookie NHL season.
Powerful Debut Year from Nikishin
Nikishin rapidly became an essential member of Carolina’s blue line after making a name for himself in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg before coming to North America.
In 81 games of the 2025-26 regular season, he had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists), and a plus-18 rating. Then, during Carolina’s Stanley Cup victory, he participated in all 17 postseason contests.
Nikishin is still unsigned and hasn’t shown up to Carolina’s training camp, despite a successful debut.
The Rangers weren’t the only ones who were interested.
New York was not said to be the only team interested in signing the young defenseman.
While Nikishin has also been connected to the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues, his camp has been allowed to talk to other clubs after requesting a trade.
However, the contract is still the main concern for now.
Although Nikishin almost joined the Rangers, a long-term salary agreement could not be reached, and the deal ultimately failed.
The question now is whether another team will be willing to pay Nikishin’s $9 million asking price.
