Flyers Have Clear Bowen Byram Trade Alternative in Young Hurricanes Star

The Philadelphia Flyers may have missed out on Bowen Byram, but the good news is that there are always more fish in the pond we call the NHL trade market.

As has the team themselves have said, the Flyers would like to upgrade on defense if possible, and while a veteran like John Carlson is still an option, what better way to do it than for the short and long-term?

Byram, 25, has long-term appeal, even if his next contract would have been an albatross on the Flyers in their current situation.

Another player who may be available, of similar age and skill, is surprisingly none other than Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.

According to TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger, “Multiple teams have confirmed Carolina is considering trade involving Alexander Nikishin. The 24-year-old Stanley Cup champion is a pending RFA, so the Canes are weighing trade interest vs extension.”

On a deep Hurricanes team, Nikishin won’t get the top-four role he’s capable of playing when stuck behind former Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, K’Andre Miller, and Jaccob Slavin on the depth chart.

In Carolina, the Russian was, at best, a No. 5 defenseman with some serious talent and physicality, but with rare opportunity to fully harness those gifts.

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The Flyers, on the other hand, just traded Emil Andrae in a package for Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit, and they want to get bigger and better on defense.

They have all the assets in the world to pull off a trade, even with a division rival (run by hometown hero Eric Tulsky), and they have all the money in the world to sign Nikishin to an extension.

A former captain of SKA St. Petersburg, Nikishin can do it all at both ends of the ice. He’s long and mean and can use his size and strength to kill plays before they develo.

Offensively, Nikishin is poised, a willing and able shooter, and a plus in transition with his legs and passing.

Making the jump from the KHL straight to the NHL, Nikishin scored 11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points in 81 games for the Hurricanes, but recorded only one assist in 17 playoff games in a reduced role.

Despite his age, Nikishin is still developing and improving as a player on North American ice, and that’s just fine.

For the Flyers, there is a significant benefit to having Nikishin and Matvei Michkov–former teammates, mind you–in the same locker room, communicating with each other, learning together, and pushing to be the best NHLers they can be.

It’s worth noting that Michkov had a up-and-down sophomore season following the departures of Russian teammates Ivan Fedotov and Egor Zamula.

Tulsky and Flyers GM Danny Briere have done business together in the past, with the Nick Deslauriers trade that effectively cost the Hurricanes nothing, and there would be mutual benefits for both sides depending on the final trade package.

Yes, the Hurricanes did knock the Flyers out of the playoffs, but this is still an opportunity for the Flyers to get bigger, younger, and better as a team.

AFP Analytics currently projects Nikishin to sign a six-year, $38.6 million extension ($6.44 million AAV), which is perfectly affordable for the Flyers and just barely above Travis Sanheim’s $6.25 million cap hit in a rapidly rising salary cap climate.

If the Flyers are truly interested in Nikishin, there are no downsides, and it just comes down to getting a deal done.

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