Ilya Nikulin

Ilya Nikulin 	Ilya Nikulin
Born 	March 12, 1982 (1982-03-12) (age 28),
Moscow, Russian SFSR, URS
Height
Weight 	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
211 lb (96 kg; 15 st 1 lb)
Position 	Defence
KHL team
F. teams	Ak Bars Kazan
RSL
Dynamo Moscow
Ntl. team 	Russia
NHL Draft 	31st overall, 2000
Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career	2000–present
Ilya Vladimirovich Nikulin (Russian: Илья Владимирович Никулин; born March 12, 1982 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for Ak Bars Kazan of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Nikulin was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in the second round, 31st overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.
Later that year, Nikulin began his professional career in the Russian Superleague (RSL) with Dynamo Moscow. He played with Dynamo for five seasons. In 2005, he joined Ak Bars Kazan. His five-year contract with Kazan included allowing him to leave for the NHL. However, after negotiations in 2008 and 2009, Nikulin did not sign a contract with the Thrashers.[1]
Nikulin has played for Team Russia. He competed at the 1999 under-18 Championship, earned a silver medal at the 2000 World Junior Championship, and a bronze at the 2007 World Championship.[2] He was selected to the 2010 Russian Olympic team.[3]
Nikulin is good friends with Alexander Ovechkin, with whom he played four seasons with during his tenure with Dynamo Moscow. He is also the godfather of Nikulin's son.[4]
== International statistics==
Year 	Team 	Event 	Place 		GP	G	A 	Pts	PIM
1999 	Russia 	WJC18 	6th 		7 	0	1 	1 	0
2000 	Russia 	WJC18 	2 		6 	1	1 	2 	10
Junior int'l totals	Junior int'l totals	Junior int'l totals	Junior int'l totals		13	1	2 	3 	10
2006 	Russia 	WC 	5th 		7 	1	5 	6 	8
2007 	Russia 	WC 	3 		9 	2	0 	2 	4
2008 	Russia 	WC 	1 		9 	0	1 	1 	0
2009 	Russia 	WC 	1 		9 	1	3 	4 	4
2010 	Russia 	Oly 	6th 		4 	0	1 	1 	2
2010 	Russia 	WC 	2 		9 	0	2 	2 	2
Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals		47	4	12	16 	20
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
Category:Atlanta Thrashers draft picks