Nikita Nikitin

Nikita Aleksandrovich Nikitin (Russian: Никита Александрович Никитин; born 16 June 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets and Edmonton Oilers.

Nikitin with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013

Nikita Nikitin
Nikitin at the 2014 Edmonton Oilers training camp
Born (1986-06-16) 16 June 1986
Omsk, Russian SFSR, URS
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 217 lb (98 kg; 15 st 7 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
KHL team
Former teams		 Traktor Chelyabinsk
Avangard Omsk
St. Louis Blues
Columbus Blue Jackets
Edmonton Oilers
National team  Russia
NHL Draft 136th overall, 2004
St. Louis Blues
Playing career 2002–present

Playing career

Nikitin spent his junior career skating in the Avangard Omsk hockey system. He was a regular on Russia's under-18 and under-20 national squads and spent several seasons skating in the professional Russian Superleague (RSL) with Avangard, establishing himself as a strong Superleague-calibre defense-man.

Nikitin was drafted by the St. Louis Blues with the 136th overall selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.[1] On 14 June 2010, he was signed by the Blues to an entry-level NHL contract.[2] He scored his first NHL goal on 6 February 2011 against Dan Ellis of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was traded on 10 November 2011, to the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenceman Kris Russell.[3]

After Columbus agreed to give the Edmonton Oilers permission to negotiate with Nikitin on 20 June 2014, Nikitin and Edmonton agreed to a two-year deal worth an annual average value of $4.5 million, and his rights were traded to Edmonton on 25 June, where he immediately signed the new contract.[4]

Having returned to the KHL with Avangard Omsk for the 2016–17 season, Nikitin continued in Russia, joining his second KHL outfit in Traktor Chelyabinsk on October 3, 2017.[5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2002–03 Avangard–2 Omsk RUS.3 34 3 7 10 4 — — — — —
2003–04 Avangard–2 Omsk RUS.3 56 5 9 14 54 — — — — —
2004–05 Avangard–2 Omsk RUS.3 33 3 9 12 20 — — — — —
2004–05 Avangard Omsk RSL 12 0 0 0 2 3 0 0 0 0
2005–06 Avangard–2 Omsk RUS.3 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2005–06 Avangard Omsk RSL 43 1 2 3 22 13 1 2 3 6
2006–07 Avangard Omsk RSL 54 1 15 16 99 11 0 4 4 39
2007–08 Avangard Omsk RSL 57 3 11 14 48 4 0 1 1 2
2008–09 Avangard Omsk KHL 53 4 11 15 28 9 1 2 3 8
2009–10 Avangard Omsk KHL 43 4 9 13 14 3 0 0 0 0
2010–11 St. Louis Blues NHL 41 1 8 9 10 — — — — —
2010–11 Peoria Rivermen AHL 22 3 11 14 12 — — — — —
2011–12 St. Louis Blues NHL 7 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
2011–12 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 54 7 25 32 14 — — — — —
2012–13 Avangard Omsk KHL 33 2 12 14 8 — — — — —
2012–13 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 38 3 6 9 17 — — — — —
2013–14 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 66 2 13 15 20 5 0 0 0 0
2014–15 Edmonton Oilers NHL 42 4 6 10 12 — — — — —
2015–16 Bakersfield Condors AHL 30 1 13 14 0 — — — — —
2015–16 Edmonton Oilers NHL 11 0 1 1 8 — — — — —
2016–17 Avangard Omsk KHL 47 3 3 6 16 4 0 1 1 2
2017–18 Traktor Chelyabinsk KHL 33 0 4 4 20 3 0 2 2 14
2018–19 Traktor Chelyabinsk KHL 28 2 1 3 29 — — — — —
RSL totals 166 5 28 33 171 31 1 7 8 47
KHL totals 237 15 40 55 115 19 1 5 6 24
NHL totals 259 17 59 76 85 5 0 0 0 0

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2006 Russia WJC 6 0 0 0 6
2012 Russia WC 10 0 4 4 4
2014 Russia OG 5th 5 0 1 1 0
Junior totals 6 0 0 0 6
Senior totals 15 0 5 5 4

References
  1. "NIKITA NIKITIN". St. Louis Blues Hockey Club and the National Hockey League. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  2. "Blues Sign Defenseman Nikita Nikitin". National Hockey League. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  3. "Blue Jackets trade Russell for Nikitin". Fox Sports. 10 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  4. "Oilers acquire Nikitin from Blue Jackets for draft pick". The Sports Network. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  5. "Nikita Nikitin completes Traktor squad". Traktor Chelyabinsk (in Russian). 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
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