The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to continue shaking up their defense in the coming days. New general manager John Chayka began his first offseason at the helm by landing star blueliner Darren Raddysh. The veteran was acquired in a sign-and-trade deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Raddysh is expected to quarterback Toronto’s top power play unit in 2026-27.
Chayka and the Maple Leafs are also likely looking to offload a defenseman or two. NHL insider Darren Dreger reported on June 23 that Morgan Rielly has submitted a four-team trade list. TSN then revealed that Toronto is listening to offers on fellow blueliner Brandon Carlo as well. Assuming the duo is moved soon, the Maple Leafs will have to bring in replacements.
According to frequent ESPN contributor Rachel Kryshak, Toronto should be targeting Carolina Hurricanes rookie Alexander Nikishin. The data consultant believes that the Russian is “exactly the type of defender” Toronto needs. Dreger is claiming that the Stanley Cup champions are fielding offers on their budding star. The defenseman is currently a restricted free agent and needs either an extension in Raleigh or a move out of town.
As a left-shot blueliner, Nikishin could be viewed as a potential long-term replacement for Rielly. The two recently posted fairly similar point totals during the 2025-26 season, but the Russian is likely to only get better with age. Rielly is also earning $7.5 million annually, a figure slightly higher than Nikishin is expected to earn in his next deal.
Toronto Maple Leafs Could Have Hard Time Landing Alexander Nikishin
GettyAlexander Nikishin recently helped the Carolina Hurricanes win their second Stanley Cup.
According to Puckpedia.com, the Toronto Maple Leafs have just under $19 million in projected cap space. They do, however, have several roster holes to fill this summer. As a result, Toronto would likely only be able to land Nikishin if they offload Rielly first. NHL insider David Pagnotta, however, is reporting that the Maple Leafs will not just give the veteran blueliner away to shed salary.
While Dreger claims that Carolina is listening to offers for Nikishin, it does not necessarily mean that they are actively shopping him. NHL teams have been receiving huge hauls for star players so far this summer. Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky is well aware of this and could just be seeing what he could get if he sanctions a deal involving Nikishin.
The Russian also proved to be an important piece of the puzzle during his team’s recent championship run. Carolina does not have many holes to fill in the offseason and has ample money to reward Nikishin with a suitable extension.
Toronto Unlikely to Swap Winger for Carolina Defender
The Toronto Maple Leafs may have issues offering Carolina enough assets for Nikishin as well. Because the Hurricanes are clearly in win-now mode, draft picks may not be enough to pry away a budding star blueliner.
There have been various reports that Toronto could be willing to part ways with forward Matthew Knies this summer. Nevertheless, it appears fairly unlikely that Chayka would want to swap a 66-point forward for Nikishin. This is even though the Maple Leafs clearly need another upgrade across their blue line. A three-team trade might just be the best way for Toronto to land the Russian enforcer.
Maple Leafs Named Perfect Fit for Star Defender on Trade Block