CALGARY -- Bob Nicholsons advice to his successor at Hockey Canada is be as comfortable having a beer with a minor hockey coach in Kindersley, Sask., as you are in the New York office of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. From the 3,500 minor hockey associations across the country to the highest halls of hockey power, Nicholsons ability to establish, build and maintain connections turned Hockey Canada into a powerful sports organization. After 16 years as president and chief executive officer, Nicholsons last day on the job was spent presiding over the organizations annual general meeting in Calgary. "There are so many partnerships you have to work on," Nicholson said Saturday. "Thats how you grow the business side of the game and how you grow the game itself." His successor will be chosen by Hockey Canadas board of directors. Its a job of many moving parts that includes player, coach and official development programs, national teams, corporate sales and marketing, licensing, insurance, regulations and building consensus among 13 provincial branches. Nicholsons parting instructions also included tapping into Canadas multicultural population. "We need to figure out how to deal with new Canadians," he explained. "We need to be more flexible. We cant just register kids from September to April. We should have two or three hockey seasons. "The families are changing. We cant continue to do things we did in the 70s, 80s and 90s. There has to be change." There was a lot of that during Nicholsons tenure. The 60-year-old from Penticton, B.C., started with B.C. Hockey before joining Hockey Canada as vice-president in 1990. Hockey Canada and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association merged in 1994 and Nicholson became president in 1998. "The reason there was a merger was both organizations were bankrupt," Nicholson recalled. The non-profit organization is now an operation of approximately $45 million annually due in large part to marketing and packaging of Canadas passion, as well as turning the organization into a brand. "The easiest way to describe that was when I started as president we had 20 staff and we have 127 staff today. Our budgets were $5 million total," Nicholson said. "We just really took the mark and built partnerships." A prime example is the world mens under-20 hockey championship that is a major contributor to the coffers. Hockey Canada parlayed the annual tournaments growing popularity into lucrative sponsorships and a large television contract with TSN. The money goes not only to Hockey Canada, but to the Canadian Hockey League that supplies a large number of players to the tournament as well as minor hockey associations who develop them. Nicholson struck a deal with the International Ice Hockey Federation to bring the tournament to Canada every two years starting in 2015. Its also been held in Canada three of the last five years. "The world juniors and the womens worlds, those are a real staple in this country and theyre a big part of the tradition and also the financial side of it," Nicholson said. Canada has won both mens and womens Olympic hockey gold in back-to-back Winter Games. The 2002 mens hockey team, assembled by Wayne Gretzky, won gold to end a 50-year drought at the Winter Olympics. Canadian teams have won 44 gold at world championships, Olympics and World Cups on Nicholsons watch. "Look at the people hes brought into our organization, whether its high-end professional staff or people like Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman," Hockey Canada chairman Jim Hornell said. "His capacity to bring people into our organization is huge and that will live on." Registration rose from 519,000 in 1998 when Nicholson took over to 634,892 this past season. Much of that growth has come in the female game with an increase from 29,000 to almost 90,000 today. Nicholson has also been front and centre on thorny issues. In the wake of revelations that junior hockey coach Graham James sexually abused players, a Speak Out program was established in 1997 to help prevent abuse and bullying in sport. When to introduce bodychecking in minor hockey has been a source of continual and fractious debate. Concussions in hockey are problematic for the long-term health of players. Nicholson emphasized safety in his final address at the AGM. "Everything you do, do it for the player," he said. "Its not about the turf youre representing or the area of the country you live in. Do whats best for the player. Player safety, those terms are all changing. We have to change with the time. "I really believe when I look back 10 years from now, this organization is going to go to a whole other level. As long as you continue to focus on the players, making sure players play this game safe, Canada will always be the country that carries this game worldwide." Establishing an initiation program to introduce children age five and six to hockey is part of Nicholsons legacy. He also oversaw the move of Hockey Canadas headquarters from Father David Bauer Arena at the University of Calgary to the WinSport at Canada Olympic Park. His first day off the job Sunday was to be spent golfing in Penticton. Nicholson will continue as a IIHF vice-president. Speculation is the NHL will come calling. "I dont know," Nicholson said. "In fairness Ive got a lot of options on my table. I told everyone I wasnt going to speak until June 1. Im going to have to deal with some things and see where it goes."
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Sergio Romo Jersey . The kind he has every so often. The kind he has when Dwyane Wade sits. James scored 43 points -- 25 in a bewildering first-quarter shooting display -- and Chris Bosh added 21, leading the Miami Heat to a 100-96 win Tuesday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who played their first game without injured All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.TORONTO - Its only an exhibition game but the Canadian junior hockey teams contest versus Sweden on Sunday night could be a significant one for Connor McDavid and Curtis Lazar. The two forwards will make their Canadian team debuts in the RBC Road to the World Juniors at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Watch Canada vs. Sweden live tonight on TSN2 and TSN GO at 7pm et/4pm pt. McDavid, 17, hasnt played since suffering a broken right hand during an Ontario Hockey League game Nov. 11. McDavid admits hell be trying to shake the rust. Just try and play as well as I can I mean thats the main thing, he said. I cant ask for too much, Ive been off for a while. Just do what I can. McDavid, expected to be one of the top two selections in the 2015 NHL entry draft, had 16 goals and 51 points in 18 games with the Erie Otters before the injury. I think its a matter for him to get back into his rhythm, Canadian team coach Benoit Groulx said. I thought he did pretty well last week in St. Catharines. Its only the feel for the game and the way hes got to go . . . I think hes just got to take one period at a time and keep things simple. Theres a chance fans in Ottawa could see McDavid on a line with Lazar. Obviously thatd be pretty special to play with a guy like that, said McDavid, who had a goal and four points in seven games at last years world junior tournament. He has so much experience and playing in the NHL he obviously has some good advice and plays a very pro-mentality type game. Lazar, a Senators prospect, was loaned to Hockey Canada on Thursday after appearing 27 games for Ottawa. He had a goal and six assists while averaging nearly 13 minutes of ice time. Ottawa had until midnight ET on Friday to decide whether to send Lazar to the tournament. The 19-year-old said it was tough awaiting the Senators decision. Its been a roller coaster of emotions lately, he said. I lost a little bit of sleep over it trying to figure it out, but the bottom line is its an opportunity to represent your country and that doesnt come too often. (Excitement) was building up there with decision time. I didnt know what was going to happen..dddddddddddd It was a unique situation to be in because both are good solutions. Canada finished fourth last year, losing to Russia in the bronze medal game. That is serving as motivation for Lazar, a native of Vernon, B.C. To be here, the gold medal is one thing to check off from my junior resume, he said. Im still sour from the result last year and how our team played. Im really going to try and take it upon myself to change that result. Lazar and Buffalo Sabres prospect Sam Reinhart are front-runners to be team captain, a decision Groulx expects to make following Sundays game. (Lazar) is giving us options obviously. Can play centre, wing, power play (and) penalty kill, said Groulx. Hes a competitor. He brings leadership on and off the ice so I think its a big asset for us. Lazar, who had three goals and seven points in seven games at last years junior tournament, is already embracing a leadership role on the team. Ive been to a Memorial Cup, Ive played in this tournament last year and I have a little bit of NHL experience too, he said. I can bring that pro mentality and just what it takes to, on a day-to-day basis, be in the NHL. I think it can really translate here. Having spent the first two-and-a-half months of the season in the NHL, Lazar said his Canadian junior teammates have been picking his brain about the pro life. Im trying to tell them what its all about because its pretty cool, said Lazar. I know for myself, every game is a different story. Ive line-matched against (Sidney) Crosby, the Sedins and thats been a real eye opener for me to see the skill… the best in the world play and Im trying to share that knowledge. Canada concludes its pre-tournament schedule Tuesday night in Montreal against Switzerland. The Canadians open the world junior tournament Friday night facing Slovakia at the Bell Centre. Projected Team Canada Lines Forwards Domi - Reinhart - Duclair Ritchie - McDavid - Lazar Petan - Paul - Fabbri Crouse - Gauthier - Virtanen Point (RW) Defence Nurse - Theodore Morrissey - Bowey Morin - Hicketts Heatherington (LD) Goaltenders Comrie starts Fucale
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