Concussions are no joke. I've had a few in my life, and they aren't a fun experience. I'm sure Alexander Nikishin can attest to that as well. The hit he took from Tyler Kleven is about as violent a collision as you'll see in any sport. Regardless, the Canes' defenseman seems to be on the upswing, and Wednesday's practice is a good indication of that.
Nikishin was seen skating around the ice on Wednesday in a yellow, no-contact sweater, providing us with as positive an update as we could've hoped for. To further that point, Nikishin was back next to Shayne Gostisbehere, indicating that he might be closer than we think. If the Penguins and the Flyers extend to a seventh game, it would mean even more recovery time.
Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour said on Tuesday that Nikishin was "trending in the right direction" for him to be back for the start of the next round. He also used the word "hopeful". He echoed that sentiment on Wednesday. It was noted that Nikishin was around the locker room for the team's celebration after sweeping the Senators on Saturday.
The bench boss was also hopeful that Ehlers would be good for the start of the 2nd Round. However, he still hasn't returned to practice after missing Game 4 with a lower-body injury. Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal said that Ehlers could be seen limping around following their win in Game 3, and Brind'Amour had expected him to play on Saturday before it was decided he couldn't go.
The two situations are very different, with Nikishin's timeline controlled more by the league because it is a head injury. However, seeing him on the ice is as good as sign as we could get. The next step will be shedding the yellow jersey. As for Ehlers, the longer they can slow-play it before the next round the better. There's no need to rush him back out there until you're certain that he's good to go.