- Eric Tulsky gave an update on Alexander Nikishin at Monday’s presser
- The unsigned defenseman won’t be with Carolina for Tuesday’s opener
- Read below for what Tulsky said about Nikishin’s new agent
The Hurricanes still don’t know when they’ll see Alexander Nikishin again.
General manager Eric Tulsky met the media Monday at Lenovo Center, one day before Carolina opens its Stanley Cup defense against the Florida Panthers. He was asked where things stand with the unsigned defenseman and kept his answer short.
“We’re trying to find a resolution,” Tulsky said. “He has largely kept things out of the media, and I want to be respectful and make sure that when players talk to me, they know it’s just between us. So if they’re not talking to the media, I’m not going to either.”
Take a look at Tulsky’s update, via Canes team reporter Walt Ruff:
Nikishin is a restricted free agent and didn’t report to training camp. He has reportedly asked for a trade, and he won’t be in the lineup when the puck drops Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET.
The 24-year-old also changed representation recently, hiring Paul Theofanous as his new agent. Tulsky talked about whether that switch moves the needle.
“It doesn’t change our position any, and I doubt it changes his,” Tulsky said. “It brings a new voice into the room. Maybe that helps us find a resolution, I don’t know. We both understand where the other side is (and) we just need to figure out a way to resolve it.”
Chip Alexander summed up the agent angle from the room:
Tulsky did leave the door open, though. Jesse MacWilliam reported that the GM said there’s still a place for Nikishin in the organization:
Those comments landed on the same day Elliotte Friedman said on 32 Thoughts that Carolina and the Rangers had agreed on a trade before New York couldn’t get a contract done with Nikishin’s camp. We broke down that near-deal right here.
As a rookie, Nikishin was a regular on the Cup-winning blue line. He put up 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) with a plus-18 rating and averaged 18:11 of ice time in the regular season.
Carolina brings back the rest of its top six: Jaccob Slavin, K’Andre Miller, Jalen Chatfield, Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker. Rookie Charles Alexis Legault and veteran Mike Reilly look like the two options to fill Nikishin’s spot.
Both camps know exactly where the other stands, according to Tulsky. Neither one has blinked yet, and the Canes will start their title defense without Nikishin.
