Anaheim Ducks Sign Nikita Nesterenko to Three-Year Entry-Level Contract
Mar 15, 2023The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed center Nikita Nesterenko to a three-year entry-level contract through the 2024-25 NHL season. Nesterenko will report to Anaheim.
Nesterenko, 21 (9/10/01), scored 13-21=34 points with a +6 rating and 18 penalty minutes (PIM) in 36 games with Boston College (Hockey East) this season as a junior, setting single-season career highs in points, goals and assists. Among Boston College leaders this season, Nesterenko co-led in assists, ranked second in points, and tied for second in goals and plus/minus.
Acquired from Minnesota with Andrej Sustr and a 2025 fourth-round selection for John Klingberg Mar. 3, 2023, the 6-2, 183-pound forward scored 2-1=3 points in a 5-2 win vs. Massachusetts Mar. 8 in the opening round of the Hockey East tournament.
In 93 career NCAA games with Boston College 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 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.
The Brooklyn, N.Y. native was named the New Jersey Prep Player of the Year by the Trentonian and to the USHS All-USA Hockey Third Team in 2018-19, leading The Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, N.J.) to an undefeated season while scoring 30-29=59 points in 31 games. He also spent one season with the Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL in 2019-20, earning 20-36=56 points and 29 PIM.