The Calgary Flames appear to be parting ways with one of their young and talented forward prospects.
It was announced on X this afternoon by Puckpedia that the Flames have placed Ilya Nikolaev on waivers for mutual contract termination.
The #Flames put Ilya Nikolaev on waivers for mutual termination.
‘19 3rd round pick
4P in 9 AHL GP
Rep’d by @HockeyAgent1 @GoldStarHockey https://t.co/dxgjHIOoJ6
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) November 28, 2024
The Flames selected Nikolaev in the third round of the 2019 draft, with the hope being the skilled winger could improve other areas of his game to one day become an impactful NHL player. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.
After remaining in Russia for two years after being drafted, Nikolaev headed overseas for the 2021-22 season, joining the Tri-City Storm in the USHL. It proved to be a successful one-year stint, as he managed 23 goals and 72 points in 58 games.
Nikolaev had similar success in 2022-23, his first season as a pro, registering 33 points in 40 games with the Rapid City Rush in the ECHL. That production, however, never transferred to the AHL.
The 23-year-old suited up for 29 games with the Calgary Wranglers in 2023-24, where he struggled to produce with only six points. Though he had put up points at a better rate this season with four assists in nine games, he struggled to get into the lineup of a Wranglers team that boasts plenty of talent up front.
Given all that talent, the writing was on the wall for Nikolaev, who was in the final year of his entry-level contract. This termination will allow for him to continue his playing career elsewhere, most likely overseas.
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