Former WHLer Nick Cicek Brings Size, Toughness & Leadership To Canucks
Acquired from the Sharks on Friday for Jack Studnicka, let's find out more about the newest Canuck.
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Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin has been a busy man this season in the trade department. Since the beginning of September, he has added Casey DeSmith, Sam Lafferty, Mark Friedman, Ty Glover, and Nikita Zadorov to his coffers. Apart from Glover, who is playing in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings, they have all made an impact on the current roster and have helped the Canucks to a historic 20-9-2 record.
The latest acquisition by Allvin will likely stay in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the time being but adds to the team's depth. That is 6-foot-3, 201-pound defenceman Nick Cicek. He isn’t a flashy addition by any means, but neither was Chris Tanev or Alex Burrows, and they turned out to be pretty significant pieces of contending teams.
Let’s dive in and find out more about the Canucks’ newest face.
Cicek’s Journey Began In Winnipeg
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Cicek began his hockey journey in his hometown playing for the Winnipeg Monarchs’ U14 AAA team and eventually climbed the ladder to the Winnipeg Wild’s U18 AAA team, and finally the Winnipeg Blues of the MJHL. After a 2014-15 season that saw him score 14 assists in 29 games, the Portland Winterhawks selected him in the seventh round of the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft, and he made his debut two seasons later after 16 points in 34 games (and 104 penalty minutes) in the MJHL.
Winterhawks Career Capped Off By the Captaincy
Cicek only played seven games at the end of the 2017-18 season but transitioned full-time to the WHL in 2018-19. He quickly established himself as a tough and hard-to-play-against defender and recorded nine goals and 48 points in 138 games along with 197 penalty minutes.
Cicek also became a strong voice in the dressing room and was named the 45th captain in Winterhawks history at the beginning of the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 season. He followed in the footsteps of John Ludvig, who wore the “C” in 2019-20. Judging by the comments from his head coach at the time, Mike Johnston, and alternate captain Matthew Quigley, he was the perfect choice.
Nick has really grown as a player over the last several years and took some big steps like Ludvig did as a defenseman for us…He keeps moving up each year. More importantly, off the ice he is a glue guy in the dressing room, well respected by his teammates. We felt really comfortable as a coaching staff to have him as our captain and the team felt very comfortable with it. - Mike Johnston
I was super happy when I saw Cheech (Cicek) got the C this year…He’s a great guy around the game and also away from it. Cheech is one of those guys who’s worked for every opportunity. He’s improved and matured a lot; I think he’s great captain material. - Matthew Quigley
Having the “C” stitched on his jersey ignited Cicek’s offensive game as he recorded a career-high five goals and 21 points in 24 games - capped off by an American Hockey League (AHL) deal with the San Jose Barracuda.
Cicek’s Strong Rookie Season Leads To NHL Contract
It’s not often that undrafted free agents make it to the NHL. But as Cicek and several others before him (like Burrows and Tanev) have proven, it’s not impossible. After a solid rookie season in the AHL with the Barracuda where he scored five goals and 25 points in 53 games and was named the Barracuda’s defenceman of the year, the Sharks came calling.
Then-interim general manager Joe Will gave him a two-year contract in April 2022, and Cicek was one step closer to realizing his NHL dream.
Cicek Makes His Debut & NHL History At The Same Time
That dream came true on Nov. 15, 2022, when he made his NHL debut against the Vegas Golden Knights. With his brother Michael in attendance, he played 17:35 with Mario Ferraro and made a good impression on head coach David Quinn.
He’s a smart player. He makes a good outlet pass, closes on people quick, and he’s competitive…He played with a swagger, and if you’re going to be successful in this league, you better have swagger.
He didn’t record any points, but made NHL history as the first player of Turkish background to play an NHL game. While he is not a citizen of Turkey, and his mom is Canadian, his dad migrated from there after receiving a scholarship from the University of Cincinnati for the engineering program.
I am 50% Turkish, but I think I might be the first [player] of Turkish descent, which is pretty cool…It’s awesome. I mean, it’s big for my family. - Nick Cicek
Cicek ended up playing 16 games for the Sharks in 2022-23, including his first NHL point (an assist) on Nov. 17 against the Detroit Red Wings with his mom Jillian cheering him on from the stands. He finished his first season in the NHL with four assists.
Cicek Adds Defensive Depth To Both Vancouver & Abbotsford
While many people believe Cicek was added just as defensive depth for Abbotsford, he might see time in the NHL if injuries strike the blue line. His style and skill set are exactly what Rick Tocchet and Adam Foote like to see in their defencemen. He plays the game tough and already has shown the ability to play in the NHL. For now, he is a welcomed face in Abbotsford considering their blue line has been decimated by injuries. He could make his debut as early as tonight (Dec. 16) against the Ontario Reign.