Top prospect Alexander Nikishin is on his way to North America.
According to team reporter Walt Ruff, Nikishin had his visa approved and placed into his passport at the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, thereby granting his petition to travel to America.
With that, Nikishin is now en route to North Carolina. He’ll first fly from Saudi Arabia to New York and then from there to North Carolina.
According to general manager Eric Tulsky, amateur scout Oleg Smirnov, who is the Canes’ main scout in Russia, accompanied Nikishin to Riyadh to help him with the process.
In New York, the Russian defenseman will be met by Earl Schwartz, who manages the team’s cap compliance, where he’ll then accompany him to North Carolina.
“When we say family we mean it,” Tulsky told Ruff. “Amateur scout Oleg Smirnov traveled to Saudi Arabia to help Alex navigate the city of Riyadh and the embassy appointment. And Earl Schwartz, who manages CBA compliance for us, provided intense logistical support and will be greeting him in New York and bringing him home to Raleigh.”
The Hurricanes play tonight in Ottawa for their final game of the regular season. After that, the playoffs are scheduled to begin on Sunday.
If the Canes practice before the start of the postseason, it will most likely be on Saturday where we very well could get out first glimpse of Nikishin on NHL ice.
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