Nikita Nesterov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nikita Nesterov
Nesterov with the Tampa Bay Lightning in April 2015
Born	(1993-03-28) 28 March 1993 (age 32) Chelyabinsk, Russia
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
KHL team Former teams	CSKA Moscow Traktor Chelyabinsk Tampa Bay Lightning Montreal Canadiens Calgary Flames
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	148th overall, 2011 Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career	2011–present

Nikita Danilovich Nesterov (Russian: Никита Данилович Нестеров; born on March 28, 1993) is a professional ice hockey player from Russia. He plays as a defenceman for HC CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The Tampa Bay Lightning chose him in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Nikita has also played for the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing Career

Starting in Junior Hockey

Nikita Nesterov was picked by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. This is a special event where NHL teams choose young players. Before that, he was also drafted by Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in 2010. He decided to play two seasons with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL first.

In April 2013, Nesterov signed his first contract with the Lightning. This meant he was ready to play professionally in North America.

Playing Professionally

On December 31, 2014, Nikita Nesterov was called up to play for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Before this, he played for the Syracuse Crunch, which is the Lightning's team in the American Hockey League (AHL). He had played many games with the Crunch, showing he was a strong player.

Nesterov made his first NHL appearance on December 31, 2014, the same day he was called up. The Lightning won that game against the Buffalo Sabres. A few months later, in April 2015, he scored his first goal in an NHL playoff game. This was a big moment for him!

In October 2015, the National Hockey League suspended Nesterov for two games. This happened because he checked an opponent from behind, which is called "boarding" and is against the rules.

In September 2016, the Lightning signed Nesterov again for another year. He had played in 57 games the season before, scoring three goals and getting nine points. He played his best season yet in terms of games, goals, and points. He also played in nine playoff games that year.

On January 26, 2017, the Lightning traded Nesterov to the Montreal Canadiens. This meant he moved to a new team in the NHL.

Later, in July 2017, Nesterov decided to return to Russia. He signed a three-year contract with HC CSKA Moscow, a very strong team in the KHL.

After his contract with CSKA Moscow ended, Nesterov came back to the NHL. He signed a one-year contract with the Calgary Flames in October 2020. He played 38 games for the Flames during the 2020-21 season.

In July 2021, Nesterov chose to return to his former team, HC CSKA Moscow, in the KHL. He signed another contract with them.

International Play

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Olympic Athletes from Russia
Olympic Games
Gold	2018 Pyeongchang
Representing  ROC
Olympic Games
Silver	2022 Beijing
Representing  Russia
World Championships
Bronze	2019 Slovakia
World Junior Championships
Silver	2012 Canada
Bronze	2013 Ufa
IIHF World U18 Championships
Bronze	2011 Germany

Nikita Nesterov has proudly represented Russia in many international hockey tournaments. He played in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and the World Ice Hockey Championships.

In 2018, he was part of the team called "Olympic Athletes from Russia" at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. His team won the gold medal in ice hockey, which is a huge achievement!

He also played for the "Russian Olympic Committee" team at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. There, his team won the silver medal. He has also won bronze medals at the World Championships and World Junior Championships.

Personal Life

Nikita Nesterov has a son named Kirill Nesterov. His son is named after Nikita's godfather, Kirill Kaprizov, who is also a famous hockey player.

Awards and Honors