Nick Spaling
Encyclopedia
Nick Spaling is a Canadian ice hockey
player, currently playing for the Nashville Predators
in the National Hockey League
. He previously played three seasons with the Kitchener Rangers
of the Ontario Hockey League
(OHL). He shoots left
and plays centre
position. His favourite players are Joe Sakic
and Doug Gilmour
, and he was a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs
growing up.
but raised in nearby Drayton
. His parents are Charles and Lorrie. He has three siblings: older sister Nicole, older brother Nathan, and younger sister Natasha. Nathan also plays hockey and played one season with the Guelph Storm
of the OHL.
at age 16.
He was undrafted by the Ontario Hockey League after his minor Midget season and signed as a free agent with the Listowel Cyclones Jr. B. club of the OHA.
After a solid season with the Cyclones, Spaling was chosen in the 6th round of 2005 OHL Priority Selection as a major midget-aged player by the Kitchener Rangers.
The Kitchener Rangers
selected Spaling in the 6th round of the 2005 OHL Priority Draft, 118th overall. He played with the Rangers for the duration of his OHL career from 2005 to 2008. He was named the Kitchener Rangers' rookie of the year for the 2005–06 season.
In 2007, he played in the CHL Top Prospects Game
. He also played for the OHL All-Stars in the 2007 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge
; the OHL team was the only Canadian team to have won both games against the Russian team—the QMJHL
and WHL
teams both won and lost one game each. Spaling competed in the 2008 OHL All-Star Classic for the Western Conference All-Stars, scoring one goal.
He was named an alternate captain for his last season with the Rangers, the 2007–08 season
. Spaling contributed greatly to the success of the Kitchener Rangers in the 2008 OHL playoffs. In 20 games he scored 30 points. At the 2008 Memorial Cup
, he was tied in third in points with 8 points in 5 games. Spaling won the William Hanley Trophy
in the 2007–08 season
, awarded to the OHL's most sportsmanlike
player.
Spaling was selected for Team Canada's junior training camp for the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
, but he was forced to return home early as he had been diagnosed with mononucleosis
.
players), he was ranked 24th in the NHL Central Scouting final report for 2007; he was 30th in the mid-season rankings. At the 2007 NHL Entry Draft
, Spaling was selected in the second round, 58th overall, by the Nashville Predators
.
Spaling signed an entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators in the summer of 2008. The contract is reported to be a 3-year, $1.95 million contract. He attended the Predators' training camp and was later reassigned to the team's AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals
. He began the 2008–09 AHL season
playing for the Admirals wearing #13. After beginning the 2009–10 AHL season
with Milwaukee, Spaling was recalled by Nashville. He played his first NHL game on December 15, 2009, and assisted on a goal by Ryan Jones
in Nashville's 7–4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning
. On December 13, 2010, he scored his first NHL goal in a 5 - 0 win against the New York Islanders.
On July 7, 2011, Spaling signed a two-year contract with the Nashville Predators
.
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...
player, currently playing for the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the National Hockey League
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...
. He previously played three seasons with the Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Rangers
The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that have called Kitchener, Ontario, Canada their home since 1963. The Rangers are a publicly owned hockey team, governed by a 40-person Board of Directors made up of season ticket subscribers. The Rangers hosted...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
(OHL). He shoots left
Shot (ice hockey)
A shot in ice hockey is an attempt by a player to score a goal by striking the puck with their stick in the direction of the net.-Shovel:The shovel shot is the simplest most basic shot in a shooter's arsenal. Its execution is simply a shoveling motion to push the puck in the desired direction...
and plays centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
position. His favourite players are Joe Sakic
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven "Joe" Sakic is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and current hockey executive. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 20-year tenure, Sakic won the Stanley Cup twice, captured numerous NHL...
and Doug Gilmour
Doug Gilmour
Douglas Robert Gilmour is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is the current general manager of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League . During his National Hockey League career, Gilmour played for 7 NHL clubs: the St...
, and he was a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
growing up.
Family
Nick Spaling was born in Palmerston, OntarioPalmerston, Ontario
Palmerston is an unincorporated community located at the south end of the town of Minto in northern part of Wellington County in southern Ontario, Canada.- History :...
but raised in nearby Drayton
Drayton, Ontario
Drayton is a community in Wellington County, Ontario, Canada. It is a part of the township of Mapleton in North Wellington County. The village is on the corner of Wellington Road 8 and Wellington Road 11, geographically northwest of Fergus and southwest of Arthur.-Education:Drayton is in the Upper...
. His parents are Charles and Lorrie. He has three siblings: older sister Nicole, older brother Nathan, and younger sister Natasha. Nathan also plays hockey and played one season with the Guelph Storm
Guelph Storm
The Guelph Storm is a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre.-History:...
of the OHL.
Minor hockey
Spaling grew up playing most of his minor hockey for his hometown Drayton Flyers of the OMHA before playing high school hockey for Norwell District Secondary SchoolNorwell District Secondary School
Norwell District Secondary School, formerly known as Palmerston High School, and often simply called Norwell or NDSS, is a mid-sized composite high school located in Palmerston, Ontario...
at age 16.
He was undrafted by the Ontario Hockey League after his minor Midget season and signed as a free agent with the Listowel Cyclones Jr. B. club of the OHA.
After a solid season with the Cyclones, Spaling was chosen in the 6th round of 2005 OHL Priority Selection as a major midget-aged player by the Kitchener Rangers.
OHL career
Prior to playing in the OHL, Spaling played with the Listowel Cyclones of the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League. The Cyclones had won the league's Cherry Cup, despite placing seventh (of nine teams) in the regular season. This was the team's only league title in the MWJBHL, although they had won the 1976–77 title while in the Central Junior "C" Hockey League.The Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Rangers
The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that have called Kitchener, Ontario, Canada their home since 1963. The Rangers are a publicly owned hockey team, governed by a 40-person Board of Directors made up of season ticket subscribers. The Rangers hosted...
selected Spaling in the 6th round of the 2005 OHL Priority Draft, 118th overall. He played with the Rangers for the duration of his OHL career from 2005 to 2008. He was named the Kitchener Rangers' rookie of the year for the 2005–06 season.
In 2007, he played in the CHL Top Prospects Game
CHL Top Prospects Game
The CHL Top Prospects Game is an annual event in which forty of the top draft eligible prospects in the Canadian Hockey League play against each other, each hoping to boost their draft ranking with the National Hockey League scouts and general managers who attend.The players are typically coached...
. He also played for the OHL All-Stars in the 2007 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge
ADT Canada-Russia Challenge
The Subway Super Series is an annual six game exhibition ice hockey tournament held between a select team of Russian junior players and all-star teams representing the three leagues of the Canadian Hockey League. The current corporate sponsor is Subway. The event was first held in 2003 as the...
; the OHL team was the only Canadian team to have won both games against the Russian team—the QMJHL
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...
and WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
teams both won and lost one game each. Spaling competed in the 2008 OHL All-Star Classic for the Western Conference All-Stars, scoring one goal.
He was named an alternate captain for his last season with the Rangers, the 2007–08 season
2007–08 OHL season
The 2007–08 OHL season was the 28th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams played 68 games each during the schedule, that started on September 19, 2007, and concluded on March 16, 2008....
. Spaling contributed greatly to the success of the Kitchener Rangers in the 2008 OHL playoffs. In 20 games he scored 30 points. At the 2008 Memorial Cup
2008 Memorial Cup
-Semi-final:-Final:-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:-Award winners:*Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy : Dustin Tokarski, Spokane*George Parsons Trophy : Matthew Halischuk, Kitchener...
, he was tied in third in points with 8 points in 5 games. Spaling won the William Hanley Trophy
William Hanley Trophy
The William Hanley Trophy is awarded to the Ontario Hockey League's Most Sportsmanlike Player. It is named for William Hanley, a former secretary-manager of the Ontario Hockey Association who served in that capacity for twenty-five years...
in the 2007–08 season
2007–08 OHL season
The 2007–08 OHL season was the 28th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams played 68 games each during the schedule, that started on September 19, 2007, and concluded on March 16, 2008....
, awarded to the OHL's most sportsmanlike
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors...
player.
Spaling was selected for Team Canada's junior training camp for the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2008 IIHF World U20 Championship, or, as it is commonly referred to in Canada as the 2008 World Juniors and the United States, the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships is the 2008 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships...
, but he was forced to return home early as he had been diagnosed with mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis is an infectious, widespread viral...
.
Professional career
Among North American skaters (non-goalieGoaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
players), he was ranked 24th in the NHL Central Scouting final report for 2007; he was 30th in the mid-season rankings. At the 2007 NHL Entry Draft
2007 NHL Entry Draft
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007...
, Spaling was selected in the second round, 58th overall, by the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Spaling signed an entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators in the summer of 2008. The contract is reported to be a 3-year, $1.95 million contract. He attended the Predators' training camp and was later reassigned to the team's AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Bradley Center.-History:...
. He began the 2008–09 AHL season
2008–09 AHL season
The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:...
playing for the Admirals wearing #13. After beginning the 2009–10 AHL season
2009–10 AHL season
The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11...
with Milwaukee, Spaling was recalled by Nashville. He played his first NHL game on December 15, 2009, and assisted on a goal by Ryan Jones
Ryan Jones (ice hockey)
Ryan Jones is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . He was drafted in the fourth round, 111th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft....
in Nashville's 7–4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
. On December 13, 2010, he scored his first NHL goal in a 5 - 0 win against the New York Islanders.
On July 7, 2011, Spaling signed a two-year contract with the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
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 | +/- | |||||||
| 2004–05 | Listowel Cyclones | MWJHL | 61 | 25 | 27 | 52 | 58 | — | |||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | Kitchener Rangers Kitchener Rangers The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that have called Kitchener, Ontario, Canada their home since 1963. The Rangers are a publicly owned hockey team, governed by a 40-person Board of Directors made up of season ticket subscribers. The Rangers hosted... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
62 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 22 | +13 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 2006–07 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 61 | 23 | 36 | 59 | 41 | +24 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | -1 | |||||||
| 2007–08 2007–08 OHL season The 2007–08 OHL season was the 28th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams played 68 games each during the schedule, that started on September 19, 2007, and concluded on March 16, 2008.... |
Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 56 | 38 | 34 | 72 | 18 | +7 | 25 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 11 | +9 | |||||||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Milwaukee Admirals Milwaukee Admirals The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Bradley Center.-History:... |
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... |
79 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 28 | +6 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | +2 | |||||||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 48 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 21 | -6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Nashville Predators Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
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... |
28 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Nashville Predators Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
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... |
74 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 20 | -10 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | +3 | |||||||
| OHL totals | 179 | 71 | 85 | 156 | 81 | +44 | 39 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 15 | +8 | |||||||||
| AHL totals | 127 | 19 | 33 | 52 | 49 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | +2 | |||||||||
| NHL totals | 102 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 20 | -7 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | +3 | |||||||||