Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas discussed the latest in the star goaltender’s trade-request saga on Thursday’s episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.
“You’re hearing that (Carolina is) entertaining another offer to try and lure the Vezina and Hart Trophy winner out of Winnipeg that would not involve a package including Alexander Nikishin?” Bukauskas asked Friedman.
“Yeah, so I’ve been saying this a lot … if Nikishin was going to go to Winnipeg, this deal might be done already,” said Friedman, “but I did have a couple people tell me on Wednesday that Carolina does have an offer for Hellebuyck that no longer involves (Nikishin) because it’s just a waste of time, right.”
Nikishin, 25, is currently an unsigned restricted free agent after completing a two-year entry-level contract with the Hurricanes, with the 2026-27 season underway.
32 Thoughts: The Podcast
Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
The defenceman scored 11 goals and totalled 33 points in 81 regular-season games in 2025-26. During Carolina’s run to a Stanley Cup championship, Nikishin had one assist in 17 games.
He did not report to the Hurricanes’ training camp in September after making a trade request over the summer.
“So I think whatever Carolina’s got out there is a non-Nikishin package,” added Friedman. “Now, if it was so spectacular to the Jets, this trade would be done probably. … I just thought it was interesting that Carolina, I think, has something out there that’s a change from where they originally were, and they remain interested.”