Ka mutu tana tohu i a Rūhia i te 2002 Winter Olympics, ka whakawhitihia a Nikolishin mai i te Capitals, me Chris Simon, ki te Chicago Blackhawks mo Michael Nylander me te 2003
ko te kōwhiringa tuatoru (Steve Werner) i te 1 o Whiringa-a-rangi 2002. I takaro a Nikolishin i tetahi wa anake me nga Blackhawks i mua i tana tukunga ano i te Pipiri 21, 2003, ki te Colorado Avalanche i mua o te tau 2003-04, ko tana whakamutunga i te NHL.