Matt Nickerson

[Starsdude]

What has happened to him. Stars were raving about him then he leaves Clarkston and disappears. Regression or just no press here in Dallas. Given they now have Fistric, Fransson, Jancevski& Erskine(who are having a nice years), Daley Belle and Grossman , he needs to continue to progress. To his advantage though is that the stars have to fill out the Iowa roster somehow

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[Laurentides]

He didnt disapeared, he's playing in the Q this for Victoriaville Tigers.
1 goal , 10 assists in 44 games with 159 pims.

He's a huge presence on the ice at all time with his 255 pounds. He's really mean and he got quite a lot of suspensions this year.

Could become a 6-7 defensemen-goon in the Nhl in a few years.

 

[Starsdude]

thanks, Is he showing any skill. How is his skating

 

[Legionnaire]

Mc Keen's has an article about him on the front page.

Paraphrasing
Good mobility but not a good backwards skater could use a better first step. Rarely shoots opts to make the safe play.

 

[john g]

Sounds like Chris McAllister to me

 

[leafaholix*]

Sounds like Chris McAllister to me

I made a similar comparison a few months back, but apparently Nickerson has top 4 talent... *sigh*

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

I saw him play in Drummondville in January, and I was much impressed. He's the stereotypical "spit-disturber" defenseman, massive on the blue line, gets under the sking of opposing fans and players. He beat the tar out of Chaz Johnson one second into the game and spent the rest of it challenging him to go again. Looks like the sort of player you'd love to have on your team and hate to play against.

 

[Chaos]

I made a similar comparison a few months back, but apparently Nickerson has top 4 talent... *sigh*

Yeah you incorrectly compared him to guys like Belak and Cairns based on what you thought was his poor skating ability, but you were proven wrong by another poster(whose name escapes me at the moment).

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Yeah you incorrectly compared him to guys like Belak and Cairns based on what you thought was his poor skating ability, but you were proven wrong by another poster(whose name escapes me at the moment).

Nickerson isn't a poor skater. For a guy his size he's pretty agile. I don't think he's really shown all he can do at this point. It seems to me like he's settled into a stay-at-home/toughguy role, which could or could not be a glimpse into his future as a professional hockey player.

 

[Hossa]

From watching him this year with Victoriaville, I don't see much upside past a McAllister/Cairns type of guy. He's huge, and strong as an ox, but while his skating is ok, I wasn't impressed with his hockey sense or general puck moving ability. His shot is ok, but I don't see the upside. He's more involved offensively than his numbers indicate, but that is more because Victoriaville is not a good team. I'd be shocked and in a certain way very impressed (he'd have to work on his game a lot) if he ever became anything more from a #6/goon type of guy.

 

[AJ1982]

Nickerson suffered a second degree concussion early this year. He plays a mean game but to make it at the next level he'll have to be a bit more durable.

 

[leafaholix*]

From watching him this year with Victoriaville, I don't see much upside past a McAllister/Cairns type of guy. He's huge, and strong as an ox, but while his skating is ok, I wasn't impressed with his hockey sense or general puck moving ability. His shot is ok, but I don't see the upside. He's more involved offensively than his numbers indicate, but that is more because Victoriaville is not a good team. I'd be shocked and in a certain way very impressed (he'd have to work on his game a lot) if he ever became anything more from a #6/goon type of guy.

That's pretty much what I've been saying.

Thanks for your POV.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Yeah you incorrectly compared him to guys like Belak and Cairns based on what you thought was his poor skating ability, but you were proven wrong by another poster(whose name escapes me at the moment).

His skating is worse than Belak that is for damn sure.

He is Chris MacAillister at best.

 

[Chaos]

His skating is worse than Belak that is for damn sure.

He is Chris MacAillister at best.

Sorry, but his skating is nowhere near as bad as Belak. He may look like a pretty poor skater, but he really isnt. He used to play here in Texas before he was drafted and I watched him several times. He's a very good skater for his size.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Nickerson isn't a poor skater. For a guy his size he's pretty agile. I don't think he's really shown all he can do at this point. It seems to me like he's settled into a stay-at-home/toughguy role, which could or could not be a glimpse into his future as a professional hockey player.

You can say he is "quick for his size" but it doesnt matter once he gets to the NHL he is still too slow for that level. He is listed as 257 lbs right now...way too much, maybe if he got down to liek 230 he would be much much quicker.

 

[leafaholix*]

Sorry, but his skating is nowhere near as bad as Belak. He may look like a pretty poor skater, but he really isnt. He used to play here in Texas before he was drafted and I watched him several times. He's a very good skater for his size.

He's still an average skater at best.

Just because he's bigger doesn't excuse that fact.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Sorry, but his skating is nowhere near as bad as Belak. He may look like a pretty poor skater, but he really isnt. He used to play here in Texas before he was drafted and I watched him several times. He's a very good skater for his size.

Have you watched him recently? He is WAY too big. 257 lbs, weight by CSB. If he can get down to 230 he will be much quciker.

 

[Chaos]

He's still an average skater at best.

Just because he's bigger doesn't excuse that fact.

I'd say he's just slightly above average. He's not poor by any stretch however, something you seem to like to incorrectly claim.

 

[Chaos]

Have you watched him recently? He is WAY too big. 257 lbs, weight by CSB. If he can get down to 230 he will be much quciker.

Havent seen him recently(they dont exactly show QMJHL games down here )...but I believe he was around 235 when he was drafted, so perhaps the added weight has slowed him down. A year in the AHL next year will hopefully get his weight back down.

 

[leafaholix*]

I'd say he's just slightly above average. He's not poor by any stretch however, something you seem to like to incorrectly claim.

Average skater does not mean "poor".

 

[Chaos]

Average skater does not mean "poor".

You've claimed it in the past.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Havent seen him recently(they dont exactly show QMJHL games down here )...but I believe he was around 235 when he was drafted, so perhaps the added weight has slowed him down. A year in the AHL next year will hopefully get his weight back down.

That is what i was thinking...he may packed on too much weight.

 

[Chaos]

That is what i was thinking...he may packed on too much weight.

Sounds like it...seems like it probably would have been better for him to have gone to Houston instead of Victoriaville this season.

 

[leafaholix*]

You've claimed it in the past.

Well, his skating's not special.

And you can't claim that just because he's 6'4 or whatever, his skating can be excused compared to OTHER players on the ice. Hey, Cale Hulse isn't a bad skater either... I can't see how relating Nickerson's upside to a Hulse, Cairns, or Belak is totally incorrect.

Though Hulse is a notch above the two guys I named.

 

[Hossa]

Sounds like it...seems like it probably would have been better for him to have gone to Houston instead of Victoriaville this season.

If by Houston you mean the AHL, I don't think he's in any way ready for that level. He seems to struggle with the QMJHL pace, so I can't imagine he'd do better in the AHL. He's a project, which is what he was when he was drafted, and what he remains today. I completely agree with La-la's assessment that he's too big, it was obvious in watching him. He's not a bad guy to have in the organization, but there's absolutely no reason to be excited about Nickerson.