Nikita Novikov spent this past offseason getting stronger and faster, coming off a rookie campaign in the AHL in which he tied for second among Rochester defensemen with 20 assists and led the team with a plus-20 rating.
The hard work has paid off halfway through his sophomore season. The 6-foot-4, left-shot defensemen once again leads the Amerks with a plus-20 rating, which ranks third among all AHL players. He’s got 13 points (4+9) in 45 games and has taken strides as a defender, according to his coaches.
“He's been able to do great things on the ice this year because of the work he put in in the offseason. He really dug in,” Rochester assistant coach Nathan Paetsch said.
“He had to gain muscle mass. He's a young guy, so his body is still developing, and he took that seriously and he put in a good body of work during the summer. Now, it's translated into being a stronger, faster, better defender overall and you can see it in his play, and he's had a lot of success because of it.”
Novikov was drafted by the Sabres during the sixth round in 2021, then spent the ensuing two seasons playing among men as a teenager in the KHL. The Moscow native made the jump to North America last season, joining fellow Russian prospects Aleksandr Kisakov and Viktor Neuchev on an Amerks team that finished second in the North Division with 88 points.
Rochester has made a leap this season, currently boasting the fifth best points percentage in the entire AHL at 23-11-4 (.658). Its 21-year-old defenseman has been a consistent contributor to that success, having played in all of the first 35 games before a one-game suspension for cross-checking and a subsequent illness forced him to miss the team’s three most recent contests.
“He's been outstanding,” Amerks coach Michael Leone said. “Anytime someone's plus-20, you're on the ice for a lot of good things that are happening.
“His footwork, his ability to gap against speed now, I think was probably a weakness before and it's becoming a strength. His ability to kill plays in the corners and for us to get out of the zone, and then I think his offensive instincts are really good in our O-zone too. You wouldn't think a guy that big has a really good stick, but he has the ability to protect pucks.”
A portion of Novikov’s success this season can be credited to his defense partner of two years, Zach Metsa.
Metsa initially joined the Amerks out of college for the 2022-23 playoffs, playing 13 games for the team in their playoff run to the Eastern Conference Finals. He was an AHL rookie last season alongside Novikov, and the two found quick chemistry on a defense pair.
This season, Metsa has already matched his rookie point total with 27. His 24 assists are tied for third in the AHL, a testament to his chemistry with Novikov in the offensive zone.
“Him and Zach Metsa have really kind of grown as a pairing together,” Paetsch said. “Obviously, Metsa is having a really successful season offensively, and a lot of that is their chemistry between the two of them.
“They know where they're going with the puck. They cover for each other, and they're really connected with the O-zone or in the D-zone or shutting down plays in the neutral zone that allow them to play in the offensive zone.”
Novikov, just 21 years old, is still trying to figure out who he is as a player, shaping himself on and off the ice. According to Paetsch, it’s all about taking positive steps forward for the Russian defenseman.
“He's getting better every day. The bigger role he can take, that’s great,” Paetsch said. “He's gotten a lot more ice time than he had last year. Playing as a 20-year-old defenseman in the AHL is tough, so it took him a little time to get moving, but he had a great season last year, and I think he's built off that.”
Player Spotlight
Stiven Sardarian, RW (Michigan Tech, NCAA)
Sardarian (Round 3, 2021) is one of 98 nominees for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given annually to the top player in college hockey. He has 29 points (10+19) in his first season at Michigan Tech after spending the previous two years at New Hampshire.
Sardarian has gone on a tear since the start of December, registering 17 points (3+14) in 12 games, including a five-point game against Bemidji State and two three-point games against Northern Michigan and Holy Cross.
His 29 points are tied for eighth in the country, while his 19 assists are tied for fourth.
Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson, LW (Vasterviks IK, HockeyEttan)
Berndtsson (Round 7, 2022) has six goals and two assists in his last four games for Vasterviks IK of HockeyEttan, the third-tier pro league in Sweden. He has 24 points (13+11) in 22 games this season.
Jake Richard, RW (Connecticut, NCAA)
Richard (Round 6, 2022) has found his offensive touch again, recording five points (1+4) in the last four games for the Huskies in their series against New Hampshire and Maine.
Richard has 17 points (6+11) in 17 games – one shy of his full-season freshman total from 2023-24, when he had 18 points in 36 games. He’s tied for fourth on Connecticut in goals, tied for second in assists and is third on the team in points.