Carolina Hurricanes prized prospect Alexander Nikishin made his NHL debut in Game 5 against the Washington Capitals on Thursday with defenseman Jalen Chatfield out because of an undisclosed injury.
Nikishin logged 10:33 in the contest, a 3-1 Hurricanes victory that eliminated the Capitals and sent Carolina to the Eastern Conference Final.
The Hurricanes signed Nikishin in April after the conclusion of his KHL season; this marked his first professional game in North America.
Nikishin, a 6-foot-4 defenseman, finished third among KHL blue-liners this past season with 46 points in 61 games. The 23-year-old led all KHL defensemen in points in each of the two previous campaigns.
The Hurricanes drafted Nikishin in the third round in 2020.