From FOSTER DEMOCRAT..
Nickulas leaves UNH hockey
8/21/97
By STEVE JONES - Democrat Staff Writer
DURHAM - One of the University of New Hampshire's most
prolific scorers will not return to the lineup for the
1997-98
season.
Eric Nickulas, a 6-1, 195-pound forward, announced Wednesday
that he will forego his senior year for the Wildcats and
pursue a
career in professional hockey.
"It was a really tough decision, but right now I think it's
the best
choice I can make," Nickulas said this morning. "It's
always been
my dream to play professional hockey and I've mapped out the
best way to achieve that goal and this is part of it."
Nickulas, 22, was chosen by the Boston Bruins in the fourth
round
of the 1994 draft (99th overall) but his professional
career may
take him somewhere other than Beantown. The road to the NHL
might send Nickulas through a different pro league - the
IHL.
"If we can't agree on a contract then I'm looking towards
the IHL,"
Nickulas said of his dealings with the Bruins. "I've been
in contact
with the Detroit Vipers but nothing has been set with them
either."
Leaving a potential explosive senior campaign behind with no
exact pro future in store may not seem like a wise decision
as far
as professional bargaining power, but Nickulas sees it much
differently.
"It's actually the complete opposite," Nickulas said. "The
college
kids don't have any bargaining power at all. You're
basically stuck
with the team that drafted you for whatever they want to
sign you
for. If you play in the IHL for a full year you become a
restricted
free agent."
A restricted free agent status would allow Nickulas to sign
with
another team provided the Bruins decline to match any
potential
offer.
Nickulas, who was to be an assistant captain this year, had
played
in 106 games in his three year career at UNH, notching 113
total
points with 70 goals and 43 assists.
Last year alone, in 39 games, the right-winger netted a
team-high
29 goals and ranked 10th in the country in goals per game
(.79). A
30-goal season his senior year would have made him the
second
Wildcat ever to score 100 goals in a career, sitting behind
only
Ralph Cox's career mark of 116.
"It's obviously a big loss for us," head coach Dick Umile
said. "It's
not just his talents, but also his senior leadership. It's
hard to see
him go, but I back him in any decision that he makes."
It was not until Tuesday afternoon that Umile learned of
Nickulas'
decision. Nickulas sat down with the coach and explained his
decision to leave the program.
"It was always in the back of my mind all summer," Umile
said.
"When he called and said that he wanted to talk to me and
not
over the phone, I kind of had an inkling of what he was
going to
say."
As for the meeting, Nickulas said it was difficult, but
Umile made it
easier.
"Coach and I have such a good relationship and he supports
me in
any decision," Nickulas said. "It was a hard decision
because of all
the friends I made, but it's something I've got to do."
With the departure of Nickulas so late in the summer,
filling the
void with a new recruit is out of the question. For a team
that many
pick to again be one of the top programs in the country,
Umile
believes some players will have to pick up their games in
order to
make up for the scorer's absence.
"It's going to be tough to replace him, there's no question
about
that," Umile said. "But there's some people that have to
step up
and improve their game."
--
Deron Treadwell - [log in to unmask]
Instructional Technologies, University of Maine
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