SKA Secures New Contract with Defenseman Nikita Smirnov Through 2027

Defenseman Nikita Smirnov has accepted a qualifying offer from SKA, according to the club’s press service. The new two-way contract for the 22-year-old player with the army team is valid until the end of the 2026/2027 season.

Smirnov has been part of the SKA system since 2015. He progressed through all levels of the club, starting from the Academy and moving up to the KHL team. He made his debut with SKA in 2021 and played for the Russian national team for the first time during a Eurotour stage in November of the same year. In April 2022, he won the Kharlamov Cup with «SKA-1946». In the KHL, he has played 11 games for SKA, scoring one goal.

Overall, the defenseman has played 56 KHL games, accumulating 14 points (3 goals and 11 assists).