RiverKings sign Jeff Nelson
A veteran player with years of experience at several levels of professional hockey, including the National Hockey League, makes his initial appearance in the Central Hockey League with the Mississippi RiverKings this season. Center Jeff Nelson has signed to play for the RiverKings, marking his 16th American pro hockey season in a career that includes three seasons in the NHL with the Washington Capitals and the Nashville Predators.
Six-foot and 180 pounds, Nelson was drafted by the Capitals as a second-round selection (number 36 overall) in the 1991 NHL Entry Level Draft. His first action with the Caps came in the 1994-95 season, when he played briefly with the club, scoring a goal in ten games.
The Prince Albert, Saskatchewan native was back with Washington for 33 games the next season (1995-96), where he totaled seven assists and also played in three playoff games. From there, he joined Nashville as a free agent for the Preds’ initial season in the NHL, where he played in nine games, scoring two goals and adding an assist.
The left-handed shooting Nelson’s major career contributions to the score sheet have come in the AHL with Portland, where he scored 107 points (34 goals, 73 assists) in his first season with the Pirates in their Calder Cup championship season of 1993-94. He was back at it again the following season, netting 33 goals and 83 points in the 1994-95 campaign for the Pirates.
At Portland, he was coached by Barry Trotz, who was also his coach in Baltimore for his first professional season and for whom he also played for when he joined the Predators for Nashville’s first foray into the NHL in 1998-99.
Jeff has also found success in recent years with the Muskegon Fury when they were in the United Hockey League, including the 2005-06 season, where he “found the light switch” 33 times, adding 83 assists for 116 points, followed by another two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 12 games of the UHL playoffs. The Fury won UHL titles with Nelson on the roster in 2004 and 2005.
Nelson’s professional background also includes AHL experience in Baltimore and Cleveland, International Hockey League action with Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, and last year in Muskegon, and overseas play in Germany and Italy. He came into the pro ranks off a stellar major junior career with his home town Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League, where his teammates included Dallas Stars‘ forward Mike Modano.
RiverKings’ Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Kevin Kaminski believes Nelson can be the “complete package.” “Nelly’s knowledge and passion for the game is infectious,” Kaminski says. “He is in great physical condition and we look for him to lead by example.”
Kaminski continues, “Jeff will provide everything – scoring, playmaking, power play, penalty killing, and he’s a very solid two-way player who takes pride on face-offs and has the little tangibles of the game that go unnoticed. He knows what it takes to win.”
Nelson says he is excited to be a part of the RiverKings. “I’ve heard a lot of great things about the organization,” Nelson said. “As a veteran player, I think I will bring a lot of experience and leadership to the team along with being able to help the younger guys out during the course of the season.”
Tags: RiverKings
