Matt Nickerson
Encyclopedia
Matt Nickerson is a professional
ice hockey
defenceman
. For the 2009-2010 season, he has signed with the Edmonton Oilers
organization.
of the North American Hockey League
during the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons. It was during his final season with the team that Nickerson drew the attention of NHL scouts, and in the 2003 NHL
Entry Draft
the Dallas Stars drafted Nickerson in the third round with the 99th overall pick. Nickerson spent his next season at Clarkson University
, where he racked up 179 penalty minutes in 38 games. Nickerson signed a three year entry level contract before playing in Victoriaville. Due to the NHL lockout, he was sent to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
's Victoriaville Tigres
, and finally turned pro in the Finnish
SM-liiga
, playing with Ässät
.
Started 2005-2006 in the Dallas Stars training camp where he scored a goal on Ty Conklin in a NHL exhibition game verse the Edmonton Oilers. Nickerson was then assigned to Iowa of the AHL where he played 4 exhibition games,registering one fighting major, before ending up in Pori, Finland. In his first season with Ässät, Nickerson broke the league record for penalty minutes in the regular season, with 236 total. He was assessed a match penalty for fighting in October 2005, and was suspended for three games for fighting and unsportsmanlike conduct on November 2, 2005.
After his first stint in SM-liiga Nickerson returned to North America for the 2006–07 season and played for the Idaho Steelheads
of the ECHL and the Iowa Stars
of the AHL
, both affiliates of the Dallas Stars
. He earned a 16 game suspension during his 12 games in Idaho. After a season in North America, Nickerson returned to Pori
and joined Ässät for the second time in his career. On October 20, 2007, he was suspended for three games for attacking TPS
forward Teemu Laine. While serving this suspension, he attacked Ilves defenceman Kevin Kantee
in the locker room area of the Ässät arena on October 27, receiving an additional five-game suspension. Nickerson has turned out to be a fan favourite in Pori during his stints in Finland. In February 2008 Nickerson was transferred from Ässät to Ilves
. On February 4, he received a match penalty for fighting in the Ilves-Blues game.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
. For the 2009-2010 season, he has signed with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
organization.
Playing career
Nickerson played for the Texas TornadoTexas Tornado
The Texas Tornado are a Junior A hockey team located in Frisco, Texas, USA. The team joined the North American Hockey League's Central division in 1999 while located in North Richland Hills, Texas, and have enjoyed unprecedented success since their expansion year...
of the North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
during the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons. It was during his final season with the team that Nickerson drew the attention of NHL scouts, and in the 2003 NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Entry Draft
2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
the Dallas Stars drafted Nickerson in the third round with the 99th overall pick. Nickerson spent his next season at Clarkson University
Clarkson University
-The Clarkson School:The Clarkson School, a special division of Clarkson University, was founded in 1978 as a unique educational opportunity. The School offers students an early entrance opportunity into college, replacing the typical senior year of high school with a year of college...
, where he racked up 179 penalty minutes in 38 games. Nickerson signed a three year entry level contract before playing in Victoriaville. Due to the NHL lockout, he was sent to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
's Victoriaville Tigres
Victoriaville Tigres
The Victoriaville Tigres are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based out of Victoriaville, Quebec. The team plays its home games at the Colisée Desjardins.-History:...
, and finally turned pro in the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
, playing with Ässät
Ässät
Ässät is an ice hockey team in the Finnish elite league, SM-liiga. They play in Pori, Finland at the Porin jäähalli.-Team history:...
.
Started 2005-2006 in the Dallas Stars training camp where he scored a goal on Ty Conklin in a NHL exhibition game verse the Edmonton Oilers. Nickerson was then assigned to Iowa of the AHL where he played 4 exhibition games,registering one fighting major, before ending up in Pori, Finland. In his first season with Ässät, Nickerson broke the league record for penalty minutes in the regular season, with 236 total. He was assessed a match penalty for fighting in October 2005, and was suspended for three games for fighting and unsportsmanlike conduct on November 2, 2005.
After his first stint in SM-liiga Nickerson returned to North America for the 2006–07 season and played for the Idaho Steelheads
Idaho Steelheads
The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho. The team began playing in 1997 and has been a member of the ECHL since 2003....
of the ECHL and the Iowa Stars
Iowa Stars
The Iowa Chops were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The club was based in Des Moines, Iowa at the Wells Fargo Arena.-History:...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, both affiliates of the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
. He earned a 16 game suspension during his 12 games in Idaho. After a season in North America, Nickerson returned to Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
and joined Ässät for the second time in his career. On October 20, 2007, he was suspended for three games for attacking TPS
TPS (ice hockey)
TPS or Turun Palloseura is an ice hockey team and 11-time champion of SM-liiga. They play in Turku, Finland at the HK Arena. In terms of championships, TPS is the most successful team in SM-liiga history.-Team history:...
forward Teemu Laine. While serving this suspension, he attacked Ilves defenceman Kevin Kantee
Kevin Kantee
Kevin Kantee is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks as their sixth-round pick, #188 overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft...
in the locker room area of the Ässät arena on October 27, receiving an additional five-game suspension. Nickerson has turned out to be a fan favourite in Pori during his stints in Finland. In February 2008 Nickerson was transferred from Ässät to Ilves
Ilves
Ilves is a Finnish sports club nowadays mostly known for their youth work. The ice hockey team plays in the SM-liiga at the Tampereen jäähalli in Hakametsä...
. On February 4, he received a match penalty for fighting in the Ilves-Blues game.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001–02 | Texas Tornado | NAHL | 50 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 97 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2002–03 | Texas Tornado | NAHL | 47 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 277 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2003–04 | Clarkson University | NCAA | 38 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 179 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2004–05 | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | 48 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 182 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 27 | ||
| 2005–06 | Ässät | SM-liiga | 36 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 236 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50 | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Iowa Stars | AHL | 40 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 97 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2007–08 | Ässät | SM-liiga | 25 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 106 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2007–08 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 13 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 39 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 24 | ||
| 2008–09 | Malmö Redhawks | Allsvenskan | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 18 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2008–09 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 40 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 156 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2009-10 | Springfield Falcons Springfield Falcons The Springfield Falcons are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center and are the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. The Falcons' two main rivals are the Connecticut Whale and the... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | |||||||
External links
- Jatkoaika.com player profile
- Nickerson at HockeysFuture.com
- Nickerson at work.
