Columbus Blue Jackets Re-Sign Defenseman Nikita Nikitin

Nikitin agrees to a two-year deal worth $4.3 million through 2013-14 season

Thursday, 06.28.2012 / 1:55 PM / News
By Blue Jackets Staff  - Writer

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Nikita Nikitin to a two-year, $4.3 million contract, club Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson announced today. Nikitin will earn $1.8 million in 2012-13 and $2.5 million in 2013-14.

Nikitin, 26, registered seven goals and 25 assists for 32 points with 18 penalty minutes in 61 games with the Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues in 2011-12, including 7-25-32 and 14 penalty minutes in 54 games after being acquired by Columbus from St. Louis in exchange for Kris Russell on November 11, 2011. He ranked second among club defensemen in goals, assists and points, was second overall with three game-winning goals and fourth in average time on ice (23:11), setting career highs in each of those categories.

“We were very pleased with the way Nikita played after joining us last season as he became a significant contributor on our blue line,” said Howson. “He made tremendous strides this year and will continue to be an important part of what we believe is a very good group of defensemen.”

St. Louis’ fifth pick, 136th overall, in the 2004 Draft, he has collected 8-33-41 and 28 penalty minutes in 102 career NHL games from 2010-12. He split the 2011-12 season between St. Louis and its American Hockey League affiliate, Peoria, where he notched 3-11-14 and 12 penalty minutes in 22 games with the Rivermen.

A native of Omsk, Russia, Nikitin collected four assists and four penalty minutes with a +4 plus/minus rating in 10 games to help Team Russia capture the gold medal at the 2012 World Hockey Championships. He also helped Russia capture a silver medal at the 2006 World Junior Championships. Nikitin spent six seasons playing for Avangard Omsk and Omsk 2 in Russia from 2004-2010 and totaled 13-48-61, 213 penalty minutes and a +9 plus/minus rating in 262 combined games.

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WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39
COMPLETE STANDINGS

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
V. Prospal 48 12 18 3 30
M. Letestu 46 13 14 7 27
M. Gaborik 47 12 15 -3 27
F. Tyutin 48 4 18 9 22
B. Dubinsky 29 2 18 2 20
N. Foligno 45 6 13 6 19
J. Johnson 44 5 14 -5 19
A. Anisimov 35 11 7 -6 18
C. Atkinson 35 9 9 9 18
R. Umberger 48 8 10 3 18
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
S. Bobrovsky 21 11 6 .932 2.00
FULL TEAM STATS
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