Though he apparently had interest from at least two NHL teams, Nikita Nesterov will play next season in the KHL according to agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey. Milstein did not clarify which team his client would be signing with.
Nesterov follows Nikita Tryamkin as a young NHL defender heading back to Russia this offseason, trying to rebuild his value after a mid-season trade to the Montreal Canadiens didn’t work out. He never found a fit in Montreal, and hasn’t lived up to his offensive potential during his short career. In Tampa Bay, where he was drafted and developed, he couldn’t hold onto a full-time role after continuing defensive miscues.
That said, he was a relatively excellent possession player that many fans had high hopes for when he came to Montreal. Able to play both sides and even forward at times, his versatility was a worthwhile gamble by the team looking for defensive help heading into the playoffs. Instead of capitalizing on the versatility though, he struggled in all aspects of his game and was essentially replaced with Jordie Benn at the trade deadline. Suiting up for two playoff games, Nesterov rarely saw the ice. He was not issued a qualifying offer, and had become an unrestricted free agent.
In Russia, Nesterov can try to rebuild his career playing a bigger role and perhaps even compete in the Olympics. With most Russian defensemen likely prohibited from playing by the NHL, Nesterov and others still in the KHL will have to make up the team. With players like Nikita Zaitsev, Alexei Bereglazov, Viktor Antipin and Andrei Mironov all signing in the NHL in recent years, the Russian defense corps will be thin. Unless some of the NHL stars go anyway—as Alex Ovechkin has threatened—Nesterov could be heading for an Olympic appearance.