Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin is one of the more notable restricted free agents around the NHL while he isn’t eligible for an offer sheet.  That has made him a popular trade target, something GM Eric Tulsky recently acknowledged to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti:

We certainly get a lot of calls on him. We always have. We are, as always, looking to find ways to make the team better and if there are trades that will help move us forward, then, of course, we will do it.

The 24-year-old had a solid rookie season, tallying 11 goals and 22 assists in 81 games while suiting up in 17 of their 19 playoff contests as well on the way to a Stanley Cup title.  Previous reports have suggested that he’s seeking around $8MM per season on his next deal, a price tag they can fit on their books without any issue.  Tulsky noted that RFAs without arbitration rights are often some of the last cases to get settled and it appears that will be the case here.  In the meantime, if they can’t come to terms on a contract, it appears there is plenty of trade interest in Nikishin to fall back on.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • Rick Bowness certainly made some noise when the Blue Jackets’ season ended back in the spring with his comments about wanting to change the culture of the team. Speaking with team reporter Jeff Svoboda earlier this week, the head coach expanded on those comments, saying he wants his team to get comfortable with being uncomfortable; his end-of-season rant helped set the mindset.  From there, the hope is that the mindset will carry over into training camp to help the team take a step forward.  Columbus went on a run after hiring Bowness in an interim role midseason but faltered down the stretch, extending their playoff drought to six straight seasons.
  • After acquiring his rights earlier in the week, OHL Brantford announced (Twitter link) that they’ve signed defenseman Cullen McCrate for the upcoming season. The Bruins selected the 19-year-old in the seventh round back in June after a strong showing with USHL Fargo where he had 10 goals and 21 assists in 61 games.  McCrate is expected to play with the Bulldogs in 2026-27 and then make the jump to college hockey as he’s slated to play at Michigan State starting in the 2027-28 campaign.