Pashure pokumiririra Russia muMitambo yeOlympic yeChirimo ya2002, Nikolishin akatengeswa kubva kuCapitals, pamwe chete naChris Simon, kuenda kuChicago Blackhawks nokuda kwaMichael Nylander uye mutambi wenhabvu we2003
wokutanga wechitatu (Steve Werner) musi waNovember 1, 2002. Nikolishin akatamba mwaka mumwe chete neBlackhawks asati atengeswa zvakare musi waJune 21, 2003, kuenda kuColorado Avalanche pamberi pemwaka wa2003-04, wekupedzisira muNHL.