Hey everyone, welcome back! We have a signing from the defending Stanley Cup champions that took a backseat last week amid the Connor Hellebuyck trade news. Today, let’s dive into the Carolina Hurricanes and their newest contract situation.

Alexander Nikishin signs a one-year contract with the Hurricanes at a $3M cap hit

This is an interesting one, especially for those in salary cap and dynasty formats, and it’s a situation worth monitoring closely throughout the season and even into this offseason. Alexander Nikishin, (along with what feels like his unofficial spokesperson and interpreter, Andrei Svechnikov?), is officially under a one-year contract with Carolina.

There are a few possible paths forward. The contract is a one-year agreement with no signing bonus, which could suggest that a trade remains a possibility. The $3 million cap hit is manageable enough for virtually any contender (or desired destination) to absorb if Nikishin still has interest in exploring opportunities outside of Carolina.

More than anything, however, this contract gives the Hurricanes control. At the end of the season, Nikishin will either be a restricted free agent or arbitration eligible. That leaves several possible outcomes, with the first being Carolina and Nikishin may already have a handshake agreement in place regarding a future extension. Second, there's a chance that the two sides could negotiate a new contract before arbitration becomes necessary or other clubs have a negotiation window. Or, if none of the other options hold true, arbitration could ultimately be required if negotiations become contentious. From outside looking in, take the arb money and don't let things get ugly!

For salary league purposes, I'm relieved that the number is below the rumored $7.5-$8M AAV. Regardless of the recent change in his representation, securing him at less than half of those projections is a significant win for fantasy and overall, I do not think hindered any negotiations between the two sides.  

The bigger question now is when we’ll actually see him make his season debut. News coming from the team indicate that Nikishin would need additional time before joining the lineup. If I had to guess, I’d expect his debut sometime this weekend or early next week.

Nikishin is a great dynasty piece to have at 25 years old – last season he recorded 11 goals, 33 points, while also stacking up very good peripheral scoring with 132 hits and 94 blocks. Those peripherals alone make him valuable in multi-cat fantasy formats. He was also part of an excellent defensive pairing alongside Shayne Gostisbehere last season.

When Nikishin eventually returns to the lineup, there’s a realistic chance he could retain his role on Carolina’s top power-play unit. That’s something fantasy managers should pay close attention to during morning skates and early lineup reports. Nikishin was ranked No. 216 on Dobber Hockey’s Keeper List this month, though that ranking could rise if he is in a prominent role upon return.

For continued fantasy news and notes, follow me on Twitter @ndySanz.