The Philadelphia Rebels are proud to announce that goaltender Ilja Nikitins has earned a call-up to the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
Nikitins, a 2008-born goaltender from Vikuli, has been a cornerstone of the Rebels’ success during the 2025–26 NAHL season. Standing at 6’0” and 171 pounds, the left-catching goaltender has appeared in 20 games, compiling an 8–8–0 record, a 2.406 goals-against average, and an impressive .924 save percentage, along with one shutout.
Congratulations to goalie Ilja Nikitins on his call-up to the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL).
We thank Ilja for his contributions with the Rebels and wish him the best of luck in Green Bay!
📰 https://t.co/pxBuuQFIql pic.twitter.com/mVOdDJs1Vr
— Philadelphia Rebels (@PhillyRebels) December 26, 2025
Nikitins has delivered multiple standout performances throughout the season, including a 31-save shutout against Danbury, a 47-save effort versus New Hampshire, and several outings with save percentages above .940.
In late November, Nikitins earned league-wide recognition when he was named the NAHL East Division Second Star of the Week for the week ending November 30, 2025. During that stretch, he backstopped the Rebels to a weekend sweep of the New Hampshire Mountain Kings, stopping 66 of 69 shots across two games.
The Merrimack commit opened the series with a 34-save performance in a 5–1 win, followed by 32 saves on 34 shots the next night. Across the weekend, he posted a 1.50 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage, further cementing his reputation as one of the league’s top young goaltenders.
The Philadelphia Rebels congratulate Nikitins on this well-deserved opportunity and look forward to continuing to support his growth at the next level.