Ilya Nikulin

Full name: Ilya Vladimirovich Nikulin
Team: Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
Number: 5
Position: Defenseman
Height: 6’3”/191 cm
Weight: 215 lbs/98 kg
Born: March 12, 1982 in Moscow, RUS
Drafted: Selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2nd round (31st overall) of the 2000 Entry Draft

Strengths: Nikulin has developed into one of Russia’s most skilled and trusted defensemen in both club and international play. He has an imposing presence on the blue line and is an effective powerplay coordinator. Nikulin is a leader on Ak Bars and on the Russian national team.

Weaknesses: As he logs lots of ice time, Nikulin can be prone to making defensive mistakes due to fatigue. Although he is a respected player in Russia, Nikulin has not tried out the NHL and his playing experience on the small-ice remains limited.

Biography: Born and raised in Russia’s capital, Nikulin developed in the Dynamo Moscow hockey school which was known for producing some of Russia’s best defensemen. Ilya played primarily as a stay-at-home blueliner for Dynamo’s farm club in his first few years. He represented Russia at two Under-18 World Championships and was on the silver medal team in 2000. In the same year, he caught the attention of NHL clubs and was the first player drafted in the second round of the NHL entry draft. Nikulin was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers. However, he never joined the club, instead preferring to stay in Russia and blossom into one of Dynamo’s most reliable players. In 2005, Dynamo became the Russian Superleague’s playoff champions. Ilya continued his career with Ak Bars Kazan – one of the perennially most consistent and dangerous teams in Russian hockey. Kazan won the league championship in Nikulin’s first year there. With each subsequent season with Ak Bars, Nikulin’s icetime increased and he became the team’s go-to defenseman in all situations, including on the powerplay and penalty-killing. In 2008, Nikulin came close to leaving to the NHL to play for the Thrashers, but decided to remain with Ak Bars in the newly-formed KHL. His team won the KHL’s Gagarin Cup in the league’s first playoffs in 2009, and again in 2010. In recent years, Nikulin also became one of the KHL’s top-scoring defenders. His slapshot has infuriated numerous playoff opponents. Each year since 2006, Ilya has played for Russia at the World Championships. He was on the gold-winning teams of 2008, 2009, and 2012. Nikulin captained the 2012 and 2013 teams. He also played in the 2010 Olympics.

Club Stats:

Season	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM
1998-99	Dynamo-2 Moscow (RHL-3)	23	0	2	2		18
1999-00	THK Tver (RHL-2)	39	3	6	9		84
1999-00	Dynamo-2 Moscow (RHL-3)	4	2	1	3		10
2000-01	Dynamo-2 Moscow (RHL-3)	44	0	4	4		61
2001-02	Dynamo-2 Moscow (RHL-3)	2	0	1	1		2
2001-02	Dynamo Moscow	48	2	1	3	-3	44
2002-03	Dynamo Moscow	40	1	4	5	+13	46
2003-04	Dynamo Moscow	54	1	5	6	+6	56
2004-05	Dynamo Moscow	50	1	9	10	+9	65
2005-06	Ak Bars Kazan	49	9	11	20	+7	48
2006-07	Ak Bars Kazan	51	11	14	25	+15	99
2007-08	Ak Bars Kazan	57	3	15	18	+2	95
2008-09	Ak Bars Kazan	53	7	26	33	+22	72
2009-10	Ak Bars Kazan	49	6	27	33	-2	86
2010-11	Ak Bars Kazan	49	6	35	41	+14	56
2011-12	Ak Bars Kazan	51	9	15	26	+3	52
2012-13	Ak Bars Kazan	51	12	22	34	+19	46

Totals	RSL/KHL Reg. Season	646	68	188	256	+99	826
Totals	RSL/KHL Playoffs	120	16	32	48		157

National Team Stats:

Year	Tournament	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1999	World Juniors U18	7	0	1	1	0
2000	World Juniors U18	6	1	1	2	10
2006	World Championship	7	1	5	6	8
2007	World Championship	9	2	0	2	4
2008	World Championship	9	0	1	1	0
2009	World Championship	9	1	3	4	4
2010	Olympic Games	4	0	1	1	2
2010	World Championship	9	0	2	2	2
2011	World Championship	9	3	1	4	2
2012	World Championship	10	2	5	7	8
2013	World Championship	8	1	3	4	2

Totals	U18 Level	13	1	2	3	10
Totals	Senior Level	74	10	21	31	32