Prominent Analyst Says Predators Are 'Kicking Around' On Alexander Nikishin
NASHVILLE — New Nashville President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Chris MacFarland has been a busy man since taking over the Predators' front office in June. MacFarland has made eight trades during the offseason, with none more surprising than last week's offloading of forward Luke Evangelista to the New Jersey Devils.
The season is less than a month away, and MacFarland may not be done tinkering. On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman suggested the Predators as a potential trade suitor for Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
"Nikisin, by the way, I've heard Nashville is kicking around there, too. And they just got a couple of draft picks in that Evangelista deal," Friedman said.
Where Nikishin's Contract Stands
Nikisin is a 24-year-old Russian defenseman who's currently a restricted free agent. His two-year, $1.85 million entry-level contract expired at the end of the 2025-26 season. He scored 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games, while helping the Hurricanes hoist the Stanley Cup. Any team can make Nikishin an offer, but Carolina holds matching rights and would be owed compensation if the franchise declined to match an offer. A trade avoids that complication entirely and may make the most sense to MacFarland.
Nikisihin's camp is seeking a contract north of $8 million AAV, but Friedman suggested the number is climbing even higher after defenseman Zeev Buium signed an eight-year deal with the Vancouver Canuks worth $9.38 AAV.
Why Nashville makes sense as a fit
The Predators currently have $9.7 million in cap space for the upcoming season, while the Hurricanes have $8.18 million. It's not a massive advantage for Nashville, but the Predators do have a stronger long-term outlook as Roman Josi and Steven Stamkos each have two years left on their contracts. That gives the Predators an opportunity to carry a long-term, high-AAV commitment to a 24-year-old defenseman in a fashion that the Hurricanes can't quite pull off. Carolina already has defensemen K'Andre Miller and Jaccob Slavin signed to long-term contracts and multiple forwards in the same position, limiting the Hurricanes' options.
Additionally, Carolina already added two experienced left-shot defensemen this offseason on one-year deals in Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Mike Reilly. Neither signing guarantees the Hurricanes move Nikishin, but it allows the franchise flexibility to move on from him without needing an NHL-ready player back in return.
MacFarland insinuated after trading away Evangelista that there wasn't an immediate move on the table, but acquiring a 2028 conditional first-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder from New Jersey gives him assets to work with.
What a deal could look like
Given Carolina's defensive depth on the left side and its current championship window a Nikishin trade likely involves future draft picks or prospects instead of an established NHL player. That brings Nashville's newly acquired picks into play with potentially a prospect as a sweetener.
No trade is currently on the table, and both sides have reasons to let things play out as training camps open next week. However, Friedman naming Nashville specifically makes this a story worth watching as MacFarland continues to retool the Predators' roster during his early tenure on Broadway.
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Joe Gaither covers the Nashville Predators for Nashville Predators On SI. He also oversees videos and podcasts for Alabama Crimson Tide On SI/BamaCentral. He began his sports media career in radio in 2019, working for three years in Tuscaloosa covering the University of Alabama and other local high school sports. In 2023 he joined BamaCentral to cover a variety of Crimson Tide sports and recruiting, in addition to hosting the “Joe Gaither Show” podcast. His work has also appeared on the Boston College, Miami, Missouri and Vanderbilt college On SI sites.