The Carolina Hurricanes are open to trading young defenseman Alexander Nikishin, but they have one important condition. Any team that wants Nikishin may also have to take forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Instead of trading Nikishin only for future draft picks or prospects, Carolina wants to use his value to improve its current roster.

NHL Rumour Report shared this update after NHL insider David Pagnotta spoke on the DFO Rundown podcast on July 2. Pagnotta said the Hurricanes have told teams about this condition during trade talks. According to him, Carolina has linked Nikishin's trade to a decision about Kotkaniemi.

"You want Alexander Nikishin…cool, but you gotta take Jesperi Kotkaniemi with him," Pagnotta summed up Carolina's position.

This reported package deal shows that the Hurricanes want to do more than just trade Nikishin. By including Kotkaniemi in the deal, Carolina could free up salary-cap space and improve another part of its roster.

The Hurricanes also value Nikishin very highly. Even with many trade rumors, they are not ready to move him easily. The 24-year-old finished his first full NHL season in 2026-27 with 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games. He impressed teams around the league with his size and skating.

This package deal condition could reduce the number of interested teams, but it could also help the Hurricanes get a better return if a team agrees to the deal.

Carolina's balancing roster needs while Nikishin speculation continues

This trade talk also aligns with another report by Nathan Smith at Heavy. Smith said people around the NHL have started talking about Nikishin's future in Carolina after reports that he is unhappy with his role. He also reported that several teams, including the New York Rangers, are interested in trading for the young defenseman.

He also reported that Kotkaniemi's $4.82 million salary-cap hit is no longer seen as a big problem because the NHL salary cap has increased.

That could make Carolina's reported package deal easier for another team to accept, especially if that team sees Nikishin as a key defenseman for the future.

No trade seems close right now, but the Hurricanes want a deal that helps the team on the ice and improves their salary-cap situation. They do not look ready to rush into a trade. Instead, they appear willing to wait for the right offer.

The biggest question is whether another team will agree to take Jesperi Kotkaniemi's contract along with Alexander Nikishin. That decision could decide if the Hurricanes make a big trade before the new season starts.

Will an NHL team take on Jesperi Kotkaniemi's contract to trade for Alexander Nikishin this offseason? Let us know in the comments. 

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar