Ilya Nikulin

Ilya Nikulin is a Russian defenseman on Ak Bars Kazan.

Nikulin was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft after posting 9 points and 84 points in just 39 games in the Russian junior leagues. He never came to Atlanta, opting to sign with Dynamo Moscow instead. He put up 61 penalty minutes in his rookie season, and spent the next five years with the team, winning his first league championship in 2005. He signed with Ak Bars Kazan the following year, and saw his production skyrocket. He put up 21 points in his first season with the club, and had a career year in 2006-07, notching 11 goals, 25 points and 99 penalty minutes. In 2008-09, he set a career high with 27 assists and 33 points, helping the club win the Gagarin Cup, a feat they would repeat the following year, when Nikulin matched his point total.

Nikulin has been a member of Team Russia on numerous occasions, winning a bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships, gold medals in 2008 and 2009 and a silver in 2010. He was also a member of the 2010 Russian Olympic team that did not medal.