Alexander Nikishin's name is back in trade talk this morning, and the Maple Leafs are the team now being tied to the Hurricanes defenseman.
Toronto lost 5-2 to the Wild last night, its fifth straight defeat. The Leafs sit 23rd in the NHL at 8-11-2, and the blue line has been a problem all season: 75 goals against in 21 games.
Matt Larkin recently weighed in on the Nikishin rumors, including how Toronto could get involved with a package built around the future rather than the present. It's the sort of structure that suits a team that can't afford to add salary.
Nikishin is on a one-year, $3 million deal, and he's an RFA at expiry. The 25-year-old is 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, a size Toronto's defense group doesn't have much of. He has 35 points in 82 career games, and this season he has played one game, with a goal, an assist and a +3 rating.
That thin sample matters. Whoever lands him is betting on the player Carolina developed, not on this season's numbers.
Toronto has plenty of other blue line questions. Morgan Rielly is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and Chris Tanev has one point in 10 games. Kirill Marchenko, the Leafs' newly extended winger, is on injured reserve and is expected to be out until at least Nov. 23, according to the latest injury report.
Would the Hurricanes really sell on Alexander Nikishin?
On paper, no. Carolina is first in the NHL at 15-3-2, with a +36 goal differential, and it has won three straight. Teams in that spot don't usually move a young defenseman for a discount, and the Hurricanes shouldn't.
Toronto's side is harder. A future-based offer means picks or prospects, and the Leafs would be paying that price from a lineup that has gone 3-7 over its last 10. The standings say they need help now, and Carolina has no reason to sell for tomorrow.
Fans have already argued about a William Nylander and Morgan Rielly trade proposal built to reshape this group. Nikishin would be a far cheaper fix, but only if the Hurricanes believe in the picks, and a contender with this much depth has little reason to.
We think Toronto is better off chasing a defenseman whose team is actually looking to sell. Carolina holds all the leverage here.
Toronto hosts the Oilers on Saturday, and Carolina hosts the Kraken the same day. Neither team has said a word publicly about Nikishin.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should the Maple Leafs push for Alexander Nikishin?
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