Former Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov expressed his feelings about his time in Carolina and the unfortunate circumstances that led to his departure from the team.
In an exclusive interview with Daria Tuboltseva of RG Media published on July 18, Orlov discussed what his time with the Hurricanes meant and his reasons for signing with the San Jose Sharks in free agency.
Orlov plainly stated:
"It was a family decision."
The 33-year-old Russian blueliner described how spending time away from his family took a mental toll on him. Plus, the lack of playing time in Carolina put him in an even tougher mental situation.
He added the following on why he chose to leave Carolina:
"At the time, I didn’t know if I could stay or not. Maybe if there had been an offer, things would have turned out differently. But there wasn’t one, so I understood Carolina didn’t see me in their future."
On his decision to move on, Orlov continued:
"My family was split between two states, and I spent a lot of time alone. And of course, the ice time — when you’re not playing as much as you know you can help, and when you feel overlooked, it’s tough. Especially after playing big minutes your whole career. I think the hardest moment was realizing I wasn’t part of their plans."
The writing was on the wall this season. Then, the Hurricanes’ trade and subsequent signing of K’Andre Miller proved the team was heading in a different direction.
Orlov concluded:
"They’d say everything was fine, but I didn’t agree. It was a difficult but valuable experience. I tried to stay mentally strong, but that’s always hard when things aren’t going well on the ice. My family really helped. In the end, I had to pull myself out of it. You have to stay mentally tough and learn how to support yourself."
Orlov will now take his skills and experience to San Jose, where he can help a young Sharks team continue its path toward contention. The club isn’t projected to be a playoff contender in the near future.
But Dmitry Orlov hopes he can contribute to the club’s evolution moving forward.
Dmitry Orlov was a positive influence on Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin
Orlov also expanded on the role he played in helping fellow Russian blueliner Alexander Nikishin adjust to the NHL. In particular, Orlov discussed just how he grew closer to Nikishin during the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs:
"The playoffs are a totally different game. The intensity is higher, and there’s no room for mistakes. The biggest challenge is adjusting to the system quickly. But Sasha adapted well. The language barrier is tough, but I think he’ll be fine. The key is trust — he needs to get ice time. The more he plays, the faster he’ll find the rhythm and grow as a player."
Nikishin projects to be a significant part of the Hurricanes’ future. The 23-year-old did not see any regular-season action, but got into four playoff contests. He managed one assist in the four games, while looking increasingly comfortable with each game.
This upcoming season, Daily Faceoff projects Alexander Nikishin on the Hurricanes’ third pair with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere. If things go as planned, Nikishin could grow into the team’s next great blue liner.
He’ll have Dmitry Orlov’s tutelage to thank for his growth and development into a bona fide NHL blue liner.