nikita sergeyevich alexeev, sometimes transliterated as alexeyev,(, born december 27, 1981) is a russian former professional ice hockey forward who last played in the kontinental hockey league with severstal cherepovets. he formerly played in the national hockey league (nhl) with the tampa bay lightning and the chicago blackhawks. he was a first round pick, 8th overall in the 2000 nhl entry draft for the lightning.