HockeyCalgary native Nichol proving worth with San Jose

Beginning of Story Content

DETROIT -- Long after stars like Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley left the ice in the San Jose Sharks morning skate, fourth-line forward Scott Nichol continued to work up a sweat right to the end.

It has been this sort of conscientious work ethic and perseverance that has allowed the former late-round Buffalo Sabres draft pick to stick around and contribute to one of the NHL's elite teams at age 35.

At 5-foot-8, 170 pounds, Nichol was a long shot to make it to the NHL out of junior with the Portland Winterhawks. The Sabres selected him in the 11th round, the 272nd pick out of 286 players taken in 1993 draft.

Nichol played 392 games with the Rochester Americans of the AHL and the Detroit Vipers of the IHL before he finally became a regular in the NHL with his hometown Calgary Flames in 2001-02.

"What kept me going? I love the game," said Nichol, whose Sharks have 3-0 series lead on the Detroit Red Wings with Game 4 set for Joe Louis Arena on Thursday.

"I spent six years in Rochester and had a great time. Maybe if I didn't like it there, who knows? But I did. We went to the Calder Cup final three times in those six years and won the Calder Cup in 1996. We still have a home there. My wife [Christie] and family love it there. When everything is all said and done we'll probably live there."

Nichol also credits the coaches he has had along the way for his consistent improvement and eventual promotion to the NHL. There was Brent Peterson in Portland. It was Peterson, a former Sabres centre, who recommended his protégé to Buffalo. Peterson currently is an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators and a candidate for the vacant Columbus Blue Jackets head coach position.

In Rochester, Nichol learned plenty from a string of coaches that included John Van Boxmeer, Terry Martin, John Tortorella and Brian McCutcheon.

The Sabres gave Nichol a few tastes of the NHL game. His debut in 1996 was against the Washington Capitals. Nichol centred Buffalo tough guys Brad May and Rob Ray on the fourth line. They lined up on the first shift against a Capitals threesome of Dale Hunter, Craig Berube and Kevin Kaminski.

"I remember thinking 'oh my God, there is a lot of meat out here,'" Nichol said. "It felt like I had never skated before I was so exhausted after the first period. I was running around and I don't think I took a breath.

"It was like climbing a ladder. I just took it one rung at a time. I'd see guys go up and play. Finally, I got a little taste of it."

After two seasons with the Flames, one in Chicago with the Blackhawks, Nichol spent the lockout playing for the London Racers in England. He then hooked up with Peterson and the Predators and established himself as one of the league's grittiest forwards despite his size.

So even though he was limited to 43 games because of a concussion last season, one of the first calls Sharks general manager Doug Wilson made when the free-agent season began last summer was to Nichol.

"It was on July 1st and after that call there was no need for me to test free agency," Nichol said.

Wilson added Nichol, Manny Malhotra, Jed Ortmeyer, Kent Huskins and Heatley, whom Nichol rooms with on the road and sits beside in the dressing room. These additions have allowed the Sharks to shed their choker label this spring.

"This has been one of my most enjoyable seasons," Nichol said. "I had some good times in Nashville on some very good teams. But it just seems like something special is going to happen. There are a lot of good stories here, good people. We've come together with the new guys and the way the organization treats you. It's first class."

End of Story Content