GM Craig MacTavish understood coming into the summer that defense was the number one issue on his NHL roster, and that he needed to add at least two proven NHL players. We’ve already looked at Keith Aulie, a solid depth addition, and Mark Fayne, the big name get that fills a top-four hole. The Oilers also made a bit of a splash by trading for and signing Nikita Nikitin.
The Means Of Entry:
The Oilers, likely knowing they had Fayne in their back pocket, traded a 5th round pick to Columbus in exchange for the defender’s negotiating rights. The Oilers took a few days to get the deal done, but it happened, as Edmonton signed the big Russian to a two year deal that pays him $4.5 M per season.
Sure, it’s an overpayment in terms of money, but Edmonton gets favorable term that coincides with when they expect their top-prospects to be NHL ready.
Nikitin played parts of three seasons with the Jackets, and prior to that played parts of two years with the team that drafted him, the St. Louis Blues. He’s also dressed in 22 AHL games, all with St. Louis’ affiliate, and has played parts of three seasons in the KHL, including the lockout portion of 2012-13.
Nikitin never played juniors, instead suiting up for Omsk of the Russian Super League at the time.
The Boxcars:
Nikitin started his North American pro career in 2010-11, splitting the season between St. Louis and Peoria of the AHL. In the AHL, he posted 14 points in 22 games, while posting a less stellar nine points in 41 NHL contests.
Nikitin made the jump to full time NHL’er in 2011-12, playing seven pointless games in St. Louis before getting traded to Columbus, where he took on a bigger role and excelled. For the Jackets, Nikitin dressed in 54 games, posting a solid 32 points and playing against tough competition and posting decent underlying numbers.
He returned to the KHL for the lockout portion of 2012-13, playing in 33 games and scoring 14 points. He would return to Columbus for the 2013 season, and played in 38 games, registering a lackluster nine points.
Nikitin’s role shrunk this past season, as injuries and increased depth limited him to 66 games, where he posted 15 points and only two goals. He went pointless in five post-season contests against the Penguins.
The Player:
Nikitin is only 28 years old, so it’s safe to say he still has some gas left in the tank. He’s a big boy, standing in at 6’4” and 223 pounds, and is a willing player when it comes to the physical game, although many think he could be more physical.
Nikitin is interesting, because he looked really good in a big role back in 2011-12, but was at best “meh” in lesser roles the last two seasons. The reason his role decreased? Players like Ryan Murray began to emerge in Columbus, and the Jackets felt more compelled to play their younger players. A smart move no doubt.
The question here is, is Nikita Nikitin a player that plays better with a big role? It would certainly be a rare thing, but it’s possible.
Nikitin not only possesses size, but according to his Hockey News scouting report he has some mobility too, a very nice commodity. He’s a decent puck-mover, and although his point totals don’t pop out at you, they still reflect a player that has the ability to move the puck up to the forwards. He has a bomb of a shot too, and makes tons of sense as a point-shot threat.
The Hockey News also mentions good defensive acumen with Nikitin, and makes the point that he relies on solid poise and good anticipation in the defensive zone. Those are two qualities that Edmonton lacked in a big way last year, and are more than welcomed.
Nikitin also has the ability to play on the power-play and put up numbers, as he showed in his first season in Columbus. He’s a fit for Edmonton on the PP with his big shot, and I suspect we see him there quite a bit this year to open things up for the guys down low.
Nikitin is not a top-pairing defender, but he is a guy that is proven at the NHL level, and is a player that has in fact had success in a top-four role before. He’s not a sure thing, but he’s a decent bet. Considering they also got Fayne, this is not a bad bet by the Oil.
The 2014-15 Outlook:
The Oilers made a few bets on the back-end. They bet on Mark Fayne to take a big role against tough competition, and they bet on Nikita Nikitin to take on a top-four role in Edmonton. The expectation and outlook is simple, this is a player that will be relied on to come into Edmonton and play a top-four role on the blue-line with some added PP time.
That’s why they are paying him big money, and that’s why they traded for his rights, they feel that he can play a role on this team, and they expect him to help fill a huge hole. It’s no guarantee, but it’s a much better bet than in year’s past.
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