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Loading…A 81.4 overall puts Nikishin 40th among 327 rated defensemen, comfortably in the league's top quarter at the position.
Finishing is where he wins, at 93, while defensive impact at 44 is the clear area to improve.
His card history has one rated season so far: 81.4 in 2025-26.
At $3M through 2026-27 before restricted free agency, the model rates the deal Underpaid: his expected value is $8.76M, so the Carolina Hurricanes save roughly $5.76M a season against his production.
His cap hit is the 14th-largest on the Carolina Hurricanes NHL roster and uses 2.9% of the $104M ceiling; the club currently has $6.36M in cap space.
| Component | Rating (0-100) |
|---|---|
| Offense | 86 |
| Defense | 44 |
| Play driving | 56 |
| Finishing | 93 |
| Power play | 82 |
| Penalty kill | 51 |
| Season | Team | GP | Overall | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | CAR | 81 | 81.4 | 0.1 |
Other CAR defensemen by rating: Shayne Gostisbehere (97.7), K'Andre Miller (80.4), Sean Walker (75.1), Mike Reilly (74.8). See the full Carolina Hurricanes cap sheet.
How we rate players: each skater's overall is a percentile (0-100) built from offense, defense, play driving, finishing, power-play and penalty-kill impact against players at the same position; goalies are rated on goals saved above expected. Contract value compares the cap hit with the salary the model expects for that level of production, age and position. Figures are updated as new games and signings arrive.