Nikita Aleksandrovich Nikitin (Russian: Никита Александрович Никитин; born 16 June 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets and Edmonton Oilers.

Quick Facts Born, Height ...

Nikita Nikitin
Nikitin at the 2014 Edmonton Oilers training camp
Born	(1986-06-16) 16 June 1986 (age 37) Omsk, Russian SFSR, URS
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	217 lb (98 kg; 15 st 7 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
KHL team Former teams	Traktor Chelyabinsk Avangard Omsk St. Louis Blues Columbus Blue Jackets Edmonton Oilers
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	136th overall, 2004 St. Louis Blues
Playing career	2002–present

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Nikitin spent his junior career skating in the Avangard Omsk hockey system. He was a regular on Russia's under-18 and under-20 national squads and spent several seasons skating in the professional Russian Superleague (RSL) with Avangard, establishing himself as a strong Superleague-calibre defense-man.

Nikitin was drafted by the St. Louis Blues with the 136th overall selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.^[1] On 14 June 2010, he was signed by the Blues to an entry-level NHL contract.^[2] He scored his first NHL goal on 6 February 2011 against Dan Ellis of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was traded on 10 November 2011, to the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenceman Kris Russell.^[3]

After Columbus agreed to give the Edmonton Oilers permission to negotiate with Nikitin on 20 June 2014, Nikitin and Edmonton agreed to a two-year deal worth an annual average value of $4.5 million, and his rights were traded to Edmonton on 25 June, where he immediately signed the new contract.^[4]

Having returned to the KHL with Avangard Omsk for the 2016–17 season, Nikitin continued in Russia, joining his second KHL outfit in Traktor Chelyabinsk on October 3, 2017.^[5]