Nikita Nesterov is a rising star of Russian hockey. At 23, this defender has already proved to hockey experts that he is worthy to play in the most important matches. He has already managed to become the winner of many prestigious tournaments. But so far this rising star of world hockey has not won much victories.
The beginning of the sports path
Nikita Nesterov was born on March 28, 1993 in Chelyabinsk. In this city all his childhood passed. At an early age, Nikita was sent to hockey at a local sports school called Tractor. This hockey school has always been famous for its pupils. Especially in recent years, many representatives of "Tractor" play in the most powerful leagues on the planet.
The beginning of performances in the MHL
In 2009, Nikita Nesterov joined the club "Polar Bears", which acts in the MHL. In his first year in the youth league, this talented defender played 13 games and scored 7 points. Having played the season in the MHL, Nikita Nesterov, on the advice of an agent, decided to go overseas and play in the American Youth League. However, the leadership of "Tractor" persuaded him to stay in Chelyabinsk and proposed a new contract. The very next year, this talented defender became the main player of the Chelyabinsk youth team. He spent 51 games on the field and scored 19 points. Such statistics for the defender is impressive. Many, understanding the prospects of Nesterov, wanted to see him in their club.
KHL debut
Nikita Nesterov is a very promising hockey player. Had to spend his first match in the KHL for his native “Tractor” in 2010 against the team “Cupid”. He spent the morning rolling with the team and was preparing for the debut. However, after the meeting it turned out that there was no sports shirt for Nikita. Because of this, he watched the game from the stands along with the fans of the club.
At the 2011 draft pick of this defender in the fifth round under 123 number, the Tampa Bay Lightning club chose. The beginning of the 2011-2012 season, Nikita Nesterov (hockey player) began successfully at the youth club in Chelyabinsk. And in the month of October, he first went on the ice for the main team. In the match against the Vanguard team, he spent 19 seconds on the field.
In 2013, a team from Chelyabinsk played in the playoff finals. The head coach did not trust Nesterov as a defender because of his young age. Therefore, Nikita had to play in the position of the center forward. This player coped with the tasks and even made assists to teammates. But this did not help Tractor. The final series was lost.
Career in the NHL
In 2013, this talented hockey player announced that he was leaving to play in the NHL. Nikita signed a 3-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning team. In this club, Nesterov receives a lot of playing time. In 2015, in a match against the Los Angeles Kings, he scored his first goal in the NHL. In 2016, both sides agreed that this defender will play in the club for another season. But already in January 2017, the club decided to give Nikita to Montreal Canadiens.
International career
Nesterov has rich experience playing for the national team. He first went on the ice in 2010 at the youth world championship. The following year, he also participated in this tournament. In 2011, our junior team, which included Nikita Nesterov, became the bronze medalist of the championship.
Having matured, this defender began to play for the Russian youth team. He played for her for two seasons. In both tournaments, our team was among the winners. During the time spent in the junior and youth team, Nesterov played a total of 28 games and scored 15 points.
For the main team of the national team, this defender made his debut at the World Cup in 2016. In this tournament, he replaced defender Voinov. The coaching team hopes for this player and believes that he will soon become the leader of the team.
Nikita Nesterov is a hockey player whose photo is often found among fans of this sport. He proves with his game that it is not without reason that many clubs, including international ones, are fighting for him. Nikita Nesterov at the professional level at the age of 23 played many games. At the moment he is the main player of the Montreal Canadiens club.
Now you know who Nikita Nesterov is. His biography is described above. The hockey player’s sports career is developing very successfully so far. Perhaps in the near future he will become the star of world hockey.