There is a distinction that I should make.
And its the same one I say for Bruce Graham.
LOOKING really ugly, does not always mean is ugly (in regards to skating). Big guys tend to have hideous skating strides, and people always assume that means their skating is atrocious.
So, my comments about him appearing laboured and awkward are really not fair, I realize. That goes with the territory of being that large. Basically, he does get from Point A to Point B, but he's not flying around the ice.
What gets people excited about Nickerson is partly his mean streak, but also that he actually is pretty nifty with the puck sometimes, which you don't expect to see from a guy that appears like him. He has better puck handling skills for a behemoth type of d-man.