Nikita Okhotiuk Explained

Nikita Okhotiuk
Birth Date:4 December 2000
Birth Place:Chelyabinsk, Russia
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lbs:195
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
League:KHL
Team:CSKA Moscow
Former Teams:New Jersey Devils
San Jose Sharks
Calgary Flames
Draft:61st overall
Draft Year:2019
Draft Team:New Jersey Devils
Career Start:2020

Nikita Alexeyevich Okhotiuk (; born 4 December 2000) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman for CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Playing career

Okhotiuk played in his native Russia as a youth with Belye Medvedi of the Junior Hockey League (MHL) before continuing his development in North America with the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

He was drafted by the New Jersey Devils with the 61st overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. In the following 2019–20 season, Okhotiuk was signed by the Devils to a three-year, entry-level contract on 30 December 2019.[1]

During his second professional season within the Devils organization in 2021–22, Okhotiuk was recalled from AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, and made his NHL debut for the Devils on 21 April 2022, and notched his first career NHL goal in a 5–2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.[2]

In the following 2022–23 season, Okhotiuk was traded by the Devils to the San Jose Sharks on 26 February 2023, as part of a multi-player deal, in which the Devils received Timo Meier.[3]

During the 2023–24 NHL season, on 8 March 2024, Okhotiuk was traded by the Sharks at the trade deadline to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick.[4]

On May 26, 2024, Okhotiuk signed a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), despite sanctions on the club by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) banning international transfers.[5] His contract was later confirmed by the club on 1 August 2024.[6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
2016–17Belye MedvediMHL19 1 3 4 37
2017–18Ottawa 67'sOHL53 5 6 11 715 0 1 1 4
2018–19Ottawa 67'sOHL56 2 15 17 4318 1 1 2 15
2019–20Ottawa 67'sOHL39 3 16 19 35
2020–21Binghamton DevilsAHL28 2 4 6 36
2021–22Utica CometsAHL63 3 9 12 685 0 3 3 11
2021–22New Jersey DevilsNHL5 1 1 2 2
2022–23Utica CometsAHL20 2 4 6 33
2022–23New Jersey DevilsNHL10 1 0 1 2
2023–24San Jose BarracudaAHL5 0 1 1 4
2023–24San Jose SharksNHL43 1 7 8 44
2023–24Calgary FlamesNHL9 0 1 1 4
NHL totals67 3 9 12 52

International

YearTeamEventResultGP G A Pts PIM
2016RussiaU176 0 0 0 4
2017RussiaIH184th5 1 2 3 4
2018RussiaU186th5 0 2 2 6
Junior totals16 1 4 5 14

Notes and References

  1. Web site: RELEASE: Devils Sign Okhotyuk to Entry Level Deal . NHL.com . 22 May 2022 . 30 December 2019.
  2. Web site: Okposo, Tuch score short-handed goals, Sabres beat Devils . ESPN . 22 May 2022 . 21 April 2022.
  3. Web site: Sharks make blockbuster trade with New Jersey . . 26 February 2023 . 27 February 2023.
  4. News: Flames Acquire Nikita Okhotiuk . Calgary Flames . NHL.com . 8 March 2024 . 8 March 2024.
  5. Web site: Calgary Flames D Nikita Okhotiuk signs two-year deal with CSKA . . May 26, 2024 . May 26, 2024.
  6. Web site: Nikita Okhotiuk joins CSKA . . 1 August 2024 . 1 August 2024 . . Russian .