Thimo Nickl
Thimo Nickl (born 4 December 2001) is an Austrian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for EC KAC of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). Nickl was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks, 120th overall, in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
| Thimo Nickl | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
4 December 2001 Klagenfurt, Austria | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Defenceman | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| ICEHL team Former teams |
EC KAC Rögle BK | ||
| National team | Austria | ||
| NHL draft |
140th overall, 2020 Anaheim Ducks | ||
| Playing career | 2017–present | ||
Playing career
Nickl began his career with hometown club EC KAC in Klagenfurt and worked his way through the club's youth teams. He made his adult debut for the club in October 2016 in the Alps Hockey League. In 2019, he joined Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.[1]
Nickl was drafted in the 4th round, 104th overall, in the 2020 NHL entry draft by the Anaheim Ducks. In the process, he became the first Austrian player ever selected by the club and the first player from Klagenfurt ever taken in the draft by any team.[2][3] In 2020, the player remained in Europe because of the COVID-19 pandemic and joined Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League. During the season, he was loaned out to AIK IF. During the loan, Nickl recorded ten points in thirty-eight appearances, prompting AIK to sign the player permanently the following season.[4]
On 30 March 2023, it was announced that Nickl's NHL rights had been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Judd Caulfield.[5] Following three seasons of playing in Sweden, Nickl signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League in July 2023 with the Penguins organization retaining his league rights until 1 June 2024. With the contract, he became the first-ever player from Austria to join Wilkes-Barre.[6] Nickl was assigned to the Penguins' ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers, in October 2023.[7][8] In the process, he became the first-ever Austrian player to join the club.[9] He made his debut for the club on 15 October 2023 in a game against the Cincinnati Cyclones in the Nailers' opening game of the 2023–24 ECHL season. Within the first three minutes, Nickl assisted on a goal by David Jankowski in the eventual 4–1 victory.[10] He scored his first professional goal in North America against the Reading Royals on 5 November.[11]
In February 2024, it was announced that Nickl had re-signed for EC KAC and would return to the club by summer 2024, at the latest. The deal included the European rights for the player and various exit clauses.[1][12] He was re-activated on the Nailers roster in March 2024 to finish out the ECHL season.[13]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2016–17 | EC KAC II | AlpsHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | EC KAC II | AlpsHL | 25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | EC KAC II | AlpsHL | 24 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Drummondville Voltigeurs | QMJHL | 58 | 10 | 29 | 39 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Rögle BK | J20 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Rögle BK | SHL | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Mora IK | Allsv | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | AIK IF | Allsv | 38 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | AIK IF | Allsv | 47 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 69 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Wheeling Nailers | ECHL | 66 | 2 | 19 | 21 | 42 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| SHL totals | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Austria | WJC18-D1 | 18th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | Austria | WJC-D1 | 15th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019 | Austria | WJC18-D1 | 18th | 5 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 20 | |
| 2019 | Austria | WJC-D1 | 15th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2020 | Austria | WJC-D1 | 11th | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2023 | Austria | WC | 14th | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 | Austria | WC | 10th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 25 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 24 | ||||
| Senior totals | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||||
References
- "EC-KAC Brings Back Thimo Nickl". ICE Hockey League. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- "Ducks Select Defenseman Thimo Nickl with 104th Overall Pick". San Diego Gulls. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- "EC-KAC holt Thimo Nickl zurück" (in German). EC KAC. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Olausson, Robin. "Thimo Nickl klar för AIK" (in Swedish). Hockey Sverige. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Horwat, Nick (31 March 2023). "Penguins Acquire Prospect Defender Thimo Nickl". The Hockey News. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- Rorabaugh, Seth (10 July 2023). "Penguins defensive prospect Thimo Nickl signs with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton". Tribune Review. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Robinson, Tom (11 October 2023). "Penguins organization makes moves ahead of Friday's AHL opener". Times Leader. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- "Nailers Receive Eight Players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton". Wheeling Nailers. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Lloyd, Dugan (26 February 2024). "Across The Pond: Thimo Nickl Reflects on Becoming 1st Austrian-Born Nailer". WTRF. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- "Exporte: Nickl schreibt in der ECHL erstmals an" (in German). hockey-news.info. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- "Hats Off for Frasca, Nailers in Weekend Sweep". Wheeling Nailers. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- Rorabaugh, Seth (16 February 2024). "Penguins claim forward Matthew Phillips off waivers from Capitals". Tribune Review. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- "ECHL Transactions - March 13". ECHL. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Wheeling Nailers profile
- ECHL profile