Nikita
Nesterenko
C · ANA · Balanced · Below average
- PAL
- 35
- WAR
- -0.3
- Value
- 52
- PTS
- 9
2025-26№ 542 / 615
Nikita Nesterenko (Anaheim Ducks) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Nikita Nesterenko
#13CPlays: Winger · 8% of faceoffs
Anaheim Ducks
HEIGHT : 188 cm · WEIGHT : 93 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : September 9, 2001 · Brooklyn, United States
Drafted : 2019 · MIN · round 6, pick #172
Contract : $787,500 · 2025-26 → 2026-27 · Standard Contract (Extension) · RFA (Arb)
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Anaheim Ducks | 16 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| 2025-26 | Anaheim Ducks | 29 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| 2024-25 | Anaheim Ducks | 20 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | Anaheim Ducks | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | Anaheim Ducks | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| NHL totals | 77 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 12 | |
Nikita Nesterenko: our analysis
2025-26 season: 29 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 PTS, -2 +/-, 12:15 TOI. WAR -0.3 (542nd of 615) · PAL 35, below average.
In 2025-26, Nikita Nesterenko, 25, posts a PAL Rating of 35 out of 100 (below average), and his WAR of -0.3 ranks 542nd among 615 regulars, in the bottom quarter.
On the other hand, shooting (12, among the weakest in the league) and creation (32, below average) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), no component is positive; the costliest: finishing (-2.2).
His WAR went from 0.4 in 2024-25 to -0.3.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 52 (fair value) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Nikita Nesterenko's story
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Coney Island, Nikita Nesterenko took an atypical New York route to elite hockey, moving from prep school to junior ranks before NCAA play. He completed his prep career at the Lawrenceville School, spent time with the Chilliwack Chiefs in the BCHL and then joined the Boston College program, where collegiate competition shaped his transition toward the professional level.
At Boston College Nesterenko made an immediate impression among freshmen: in 2020–21 he shared Hockey East rookie of the year honours and was named to the conference’s All‑Rookie Team. He continued to develop over three collegiate seasons and posted a career high in 2022–23 with 13 goals and 34 points across 36 games, numbers that underlined his readiness to turn pro.
Originally taken by the Minnesota Wild in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (6th round, 172nd overall), Nesterenko’s NHL rights were later moved to the Anaheim Ducks on March 3, 2023, as part of a trade involving John Klingberg, Andrej Sustr and a 2025 fourth‑round pick. He signed a two‑year entry‑level contract with Anaheim on March 16, 2023 and made his NHL debut five days later against Calgary. His first NHL goal came on March 25, assisted by Mason McTavish, versus the St. Louis Blues.
Most of the 2023–24 campaign was spent with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls: Nesterenko appeared in 70 games, recording 16 goals and 37 points. He was briefly recalled in April and played three games for the Ducks, adding another goal against St. Louis. Anaheim extended a qualifying offer and on July 15, 2024 he signed a one‑year, two‑way deal; he began the following season in San Diego before multiple recalls to Anaheim through January.
Nesterenko’s progression is visible in the way he has moved through prep, junior and college ranks into pro hockey, shuttling between AHL duties and NHL opportunities while earning a two‑year contract extension with the Ducks on June 18, 2025 worth $1.575 million.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 11:00
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:25
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:41
- Pts/GP
- 0.31
- EV points
- 4
- Hits
- 41
- Blocks
- 2
- Takeaways
- 1
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 52.4 %
- Off. zone starts
- 30.6 %
- Faceoffs
- 37.5 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
13between 5 and 22 (80% range)
- Goals
- 6
- Assists
- 7
- Games
- 45
So far: 5 pts in 16 games. The team has played 18 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.29 pts per game (last season: 0.31).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Stable
- Points per game: 0.30 in 24-25, 0.31 in 25-26
Outlook, age included
→ StableAge 25: prime years
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 40 %
73
Established NHL
- SK
- Skating
- 72
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 72
- Confidence 46 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 62
- Confidence 50 %
- DU
- Durability
- 36
- Confidence 73 %
- CK
- Checking
- 82
- Confidence 46 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 78
- Confidence 27 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 77
- Confidence 46 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 78
- Confidence 40 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 71
- Confidence 40 %
- DF
- Defense
- 75
- Confidence 36 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 43
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating72
- Top speed (35 %)35.7 · 68
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)7.611 · 80
- Distance /60 (20 %)16.5 · 79
- Speed consistency (15 %)34.1 · 59
ST — Strength72
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)3.152 · 65
- Body mass (50 %)0.294 · 81
EN — Endurance62
- Ice time per game (45 %)13.5 · 67
- Total ice time (20 %)348 · 35
- Shift length (15 %)43.4 · 69
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)13 · 71
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)1.65 · 63
DU — Durability36
- Share of games played (100 %)0.523 · 36
CK — Checking82
- Hits /60 (70 %)6.712 · 82
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)6.6 · 86
- Season volume (10 %)3.989 · 74
FG — Fighting78
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.885 · 78
DI — Discipline77
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.023 · 77
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.556 · 79
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.689 · 71
PA — Passing78
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.784 · 80
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.406 · 69
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.015 · 71
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.687 · 78
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.768 · 87
SC — Scoring71
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.69 · 70
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.74 · 71
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)-0.31 · 73
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)1.114 · 68
- xG per shot (10 %)0.082 · 71
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)12.7 · 77
DF — Defense75
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)-0.012 · 71
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.234 · 87
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.592 · 76
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.021 · 77
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.682 · 68
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)58.3 · 74
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)2.181 · 66
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience43
- Career regular-season games (65 %)58
- Career playoff games (25 %)0
- NHL seasons (10 %)55
OV — Overall73
- SC · Scoring (20 %)71
- PA · Passing (20 %)78
- DF · Defense (20 %)75
- SK · Skating (12 %)72
- EN · Endurance (8 %)62
- DI · Discipline (5 %)77
- ST · Strength (3 %)72
- CK · Checking (2 %)82
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 73 | 72 | 71 | 75 |
| 2024-25 | 72 | 70 | 80 | 71 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
-0.3
wins above replacement
542 of 615
PAL Rating
35/ 100
Performance · Below average
298 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
52/ 100
Fair value
0.79 M$ · expected PAL 33
ProfileBalancedNeither end dominates
- Offense
- 30
- Defense
- 52
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 40
- Creation
- 32
- Shooting
- 12
- Possession
- 57
- Defense
- 49
- Discipline
- 56
- Power play
- 35
- Penalty kill
- 57
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
33/ 100
Below average
better than 33% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
40/ 100
Average
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
37/ 100
Below average
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 282 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 87
- Shot selection
- 20
- Penalties drawn
- 24
- Puck management
- 74
Defense
- Takeaways
- 3
- Discipline
- 67
- Safe zone exits
- 61
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
-0.3
wins above replacement
-0.6 to 0.1 — 90% interval
542 of 615 forwards
-1.6 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -0.2
- EV defense
- -0.1
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- -2.2
- Penalties
- 0.0
- Average → replacement
- +0.9
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | ANA | 29 | -0.3 | -0.6 to 0.1 | 542/615 |
| 2024-25 | ANA | 17 | 0.4 | -0.0 to 0.7 | 257/596 |
| 2023-24 | ANA | 3 | 0.1 | -0.1 to 0.3 | 347/608 |
| 2022-23 | ANA | 9 | -0.2 | -0.5 to 0.1 | 485/617 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 136.2 km/h64th percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 37.6 km/h98th percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 2261st percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 40.2 %28th percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 43.7 km35th percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 3.58 km20th percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 40.6 %42nd percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 19.9 %99th percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 39.9 %47th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1845th percentile | 366th percentile | 16.7 %66th percentile |
| High danger | 963rd percentile | 274th percentile | 22.2 %60th percentile |
| Mid range | 550th percentile | 054th percentile | 0.0 %32nd percentile |
| Long range | 153rd percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %87th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
PIT
CGY
EDM
VAN
OTT
PHI
NJD
NYI
BOS
WPG
FLA
VGKNikita Nesterenko: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Nikita Nesterenko have in 2026-27?
Nikita Nesterenko has 3 goals and 5 points (2 assists) in 16 games in 2026-27.
How old is Nikita Nesterenko?
Nikita Nesterenko is 25 years old: he was born on September 10, 2001.
How tall is Nikita Nesterenko, and how much does he weigh?
Nikita Nesterenko is 6'2" (188 cm) and weighs 205 lb (93 kg).
Where is Nikita Nesterenko from?
United States: Nikita Nesterenko was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States.
What team does Nikita Nesterenko play for?
Nikita Nesterenko plays for the Anaheim Ducks in the NHL, at C, wearing number 13.
Is Nikita Nesterenko injured?
No: Nikita Nesterenko is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Nikita Nesterenko?
Nikita Nesterenko produced -0.3 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 542nd of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 35 out of 100: below average for his position.
How much does Nikita Nesterenko make?
Nikita Nesterenko earns $788K for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 52 out of 100 (fair value): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Nikita Nesterenko's contract end?
Nikita Nesterenko's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be a restricted free agent.
Is Nikita Nesterenko overpaid?
Neither: he delivers about what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 52 out of 100 (fair value), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Nikita Nesterenko a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 542nd of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
How has Nikita Nesterenko played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Nikita Nesterenko has 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists).
What are Nikita Nesterenko's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Nikita Nesterenko has 77 games, 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points. His best season: 2025-26, with 9 points in 29 games.
Where was Nikita Nesterenko drafted?
Nikita Nesterenko was drafted 172nd overall (round 6) by Minnesota Wild in 2019.
Is Nikita Nesterenko better at home or on the road?
No real difference: in 2026-27, he averages 0.29 points per game at home (2 in 7 games) and 0.33 on the road (3 in 9 games).
How does Nikita Nesterenko perform in the playoffs?
Nikita Nesterenko has not played in the NHL playoffs yet.
Which player is most similar to Nikita Nesterenko?
Lenni Hameenaho: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Lenni Hameenaho's page →Is Nikita Nesterenko a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 13 points in 2026-27, or 0.29 points per game.
What is Nikita Nesterenko's nationality?
Nikita Nesterenko is American.
What awards has Nikita Nesterenko won?
Hockey East Rookie of the Year, 2020–21 ; Hockey East All-Rookie Team, 2020–21.
Where did Nikita Nesterenko play before turning pro?
Lawrenceville School (prep hockey), graduated 2020; Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL); Boston College Eagles (NCAA), through the 2022–23 season.
How many points is Nikita Nesterenko projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 13 points in 45 games in 2026-27 (5 to 22 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Anaheim Ducks teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)