- Alexander Nikishin fired his agent at Quartexx and hired Paul Theofanous amid his trade standoff with Carolina
- Theofanous also represents Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky
- Read below for what the move could mean for Nikishin’s next contract
Alexander Nikishin just brought in reinforcements for his fight with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 24-year-old defenseman fired his agent at Quartexx Hockey and hired Paul Theofanous of TMI, LLC on Friday, according to PuckPedia. Watch the switch break in real time:
Theofanous isn’t picking up scraps. He already has 10 active NHL contracts on his books, including Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, prospect Ivan Ryabkin and depth netminder Cayden Primeau. He also represents three of the biggest names in the league: Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky.
Nikishin’s old agent, Benjamin Kreyzerman, reportedly had no other NHL clients besides him. That gap is a big part of why this looks like an upgrade for a player trying to force his way out of Raleigh.
That switch landed less than 30 minutes before Carolina announced Kochetkov’s own two-year extension, a deal Theofanous negotiated on the other side of the table:
Nikishin is stuck in an increasingly public standoff with the team he just won a Stanley Cup with. He asked for a change of scenery right after last season ended, and his own camp said other clubs are ready to make a deal while Carolina keeps saying no.
Money is likely driving the switch too. Nikishin just finished a two-year, $925,000 entry-level contract after posting 33 points in 81 games as a rookie.
He’s reportedly seeking north of $8 million a year on his next deal, a number that looks far less outrageous after Zeev Buium signed for $9.38 million with Minnesota. Theofanous has already helped clients land a combined $203.6 million in contract value, per PuckPedia, so he knows how to push a number like that across the finish line.
Carolina now has a heavier hitter sitting across the table, and it happened on the same morning the Hurricanes locked up Kochetkov’s crease for three more seasons. The regular season opens Oct. 1, and Nikishin still doesn’t have a contract or a new address.
