Anaheim Ducks Recall Nikita Nesterenko From San Diego
Apr 5, 2024The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled left wing Nikita Nesterenko from the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Nesterenko, 22 (9/10/01), has scored one goal in nine NHL contests with Anaheim, all in 2022-23, including his first NHL goal March 25, 2023 vs. St. Louis. Acquired from Minnesota with Andrej Sustr and a 2025 fourth-round selection for John Klingberg March 3, 2023, the 6-2, 194-pound forward has scored 15-18=33 points with a +8 rating and 34 penalty minutes (PIM) in 63 games as a rookie with San Diego this season. Among Gulls leaders, he ranks fourth in goals while co-leading the club’s rookies in goals and plus/minus, and was second in points and assists at the time of his recall.
In 93 career NCAA games with Boston College (Hockey East) from 2020-23, Nesterenko collected 28-49=77 points with a +25 rating and 86 PIM. Originally selected by Minnesota in the sixth round (172nd overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Nesterenko scored 13-21=34 points in 36 games in 2022-23 as a junior, setting single-season career highs in points, goals and assists. Among Eagles leaders, he co-led in assists, ranked second in points, and was tied for second in goals and plus/minus.
The Brooklyn, N.Y. native was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year and to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2020-21 after scoring 8-11=19 points with a +12 rating and 18 PIM in 24 games. As a sophomore, he scored 7-17=24 points with a +7 rating in 37 games in 2021-22.