The Calgary Flames have signed defenceman Nikita Nesterov. The veteran blueliner has been in Russia for the past several years, but he is returning to North America. The deal is for one year at the league minimum of $700,000. The team announced the signing late Friday afternoon.
Another ✍️
The #Flames have signed defenceman Nikita Nesterov to a one-year deal with an AAV of $700,000. https://t.co/eTboVGOQQX
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) October 23, 2020
Flames Sign Nikita Nesterov
Nesterov’s past three seasons have taken place in his native Russia. The 5′-11″, 191-pound defender had seven goals and 23 points in 53 games for the KHL’s CSKA Moskva program. He has been with the Moscow club since 2017-18 and has a total of 14 goals and 60 points in 136 games. His last NHL season was 2016-17. Nesterov began the year with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but ended it with the Montreal Canadiens thanks to a trade that sent Jonathan Racine and a sixth-round pick in the 2017 Draft.
The Lightning originally drafted Nesterov in the fifth round of the 2011 Draft. He would play in 119 games for Tampa Bay prior to the trade with Montreal. Overall, he has eight goals and 28 points in his NHL career along with a 52.3 Corsi For. Nesterov never played a huge role in his first stint in North America, but he has produced in Russia. Some of that might translate now that he has much more professional hockey experience.
What This Means for the Future
It is impossible to know how Nesterov’s recent seasons in Russia will translate. The focus on speed and skill has only become more pronounced in North America over the years. He has fine numbers for the KHL but fans shouldn’t expect huge output from the former 148th overall selection. He will likely start the year either as the team’s primary seventh defender or on the third pairing. Either way, Nesterov will probably see time mostly on the penalty-kill unit and in the defensive zone, but he could be a cheap surprise for a talented Calgary team.
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