Todd Nelson (ice hockey)

Todd Nelson (born May 15, 1969) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the older brother of Jeff Nelson and the father of Colton Nelson, Division III hockey player at the University of Wisconsin Superior.

Todd Nelson
Born (1969-05-15) May 15, 1969
NationalityCanadian
OccupationIce hockey coach, player

Coaching career
PositionAssistant coach
TeamDallas Stars (NHL)
Previous team(s)Edmonton Oilers
Years as a coach2003–present
Years as an NHL coach2014–2015
Years with current team2018–present
Ice hockey career
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals
Berlin Capitals
HIFK
NHL Draft 79th overall, 1989
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 19902002

Playing career

Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, Nelson played primarily in the minors and played just one game for the Penguins. Signed as a free agent by the Washington Capitals, he helped guide the Capitals' minor league affiliate Portland Pirates to the Calder Cup in 1994. He was inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2007. Nelson played in just two games for the Washington Capitals, and played in the minors until his retirement in 2002.

Coaching career

Following his professional hockey career, Nelson moved into coaching. He was first the assistant coach/player coach for the Muskegon Fury of the UHL for the 2001–02 season. He was then an assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL for the 2002–03 season before returning as head coach of the Muskegon Fury from 2003-2006. The Fury won the Colonial Cup his first two years as their coach. He moved on to be the assistant coach for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL from 2006–2008, who won the Calder Cup in his final season as an assistant.

On July 25, 2008, he accepted an assistant coaching position with the Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL.

On July 15, 2010, he was introduced as the first head coach of the AHL's Oklahoma City Barons, affiliate of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.

After the firing of Dallas Eakins on December 15, 2014, Nelson was promoted to head coach of the Oilers on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2014–15 NHL season. He was replaced as head coach by Todd McLellan on May 19, 2015.[1]

On June 16, 2015, Nelson was named the head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL).[2] Nelson became the third person ever to win the Calder Cup as a player (1994), assistant coach (2008), and head coach (2017), joining Bob Woods and Mike Stothers.[3]

On May 31, 2018, Nelson left the Griffins to become an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars in the NHL.[4]

Awards

  • WHL East Second All-Star Team (1989, 1990)

Career statistics

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1985–86 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 4 0 0 0 0
1986–87 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 35 1 6 7 10 4 0 0 0 0
1987–88 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 72 3 21 24 59 10 3 2 5 4
1988–89 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 72 14 45 59 72 4 1 3 4 4
1989–90 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 69 13 42 55 88 14 3 12 15 12
1990–91 Muskegon Lumberjacks IHL 79 4 20 24 32 3 0 0 0 4
1991–92 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 1 0 0 0 0
1991–92 Muskegon Lumberjacks IHL 80 6 35 41 46 14 1 11 12 4
1992–93 Cleveland Lumberjacks IHL 76 7 35 42 115 4 0 2 2 4
1993–94 Washington Capitals NHL 2 1 0 1 2 4 0 0 0 0
1993–94 Portland Pirates AHL 80 11 34 45 69 11 0 6 6 6
1994–95 Portland Pirates AHL 75 10 35 45 76 7 0 4 4 6
1995–96 Hershey Bears AHL 70 10 40 50 38 5 1 2 3 8
1996–97 Grand Rapids Griffins IHL 81 3 18 21 32 5 1 0 1 0
1997–98 Grand Rapids Griffins IHL 75 6 21 27 36 3 0 0 0 2
1998–99 Berlin Capitals DEL 44 5 10 15 26
1999–00 HIFK Helsinki SM-liiga 4 1 1 2 2
1999–00 Grand Rapids Griffins IHL 73 2 15 17 47 17 0 2 2 10
2000–01 Rochester Americans AHL 74 6 20 26 32 4 0 2 2 2
2001–02 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 7 0 2 2 8
2001–02 Muskegon Fury UHL 66 8 25 33 38 17 2 6 8 2
NHL Totals 3 1 0 1 2 4 0 0 0 0

Coaching record

NHL

Team Year Regular season Postseason
GamesWonLostOTLPointsFinishWonLostWin %Result
EDM2014–15 5117259.4226th in PacificMissed playoffs
Total 5117259.422

Minor leagues

Team Year Regular season Postseason
GamesWonLostOTLPointsFinishGamesWonLostResult
Muskegon Fury2003–04 76472091033rd in Western11110Won Colonial Cup
Muskegon Fury2004–05 80512091111st in Central17125Won Colonial Cup
Muskegon Fury2005–06 76511871092nd in Central1266Lost in Round 2
Oklahoma City Barons2010–11 80402911915th in West624Lost in Division Semifinals
Oklahoma City Barons2011–12 7645229991st in West1486Lost in Conference Finals
Oklahoma City Barons2012–13 76402511913rd in South17107Lost in Conference Finals
Oklahoma City Barons2013–14 76362911833rd in West303Lost in Conference Quarterfinals
Grand Rapids Griffins2015–16 7644302904th in Central954Lost in Division finals
Grand Rapids Griffins2016–17 76472311002nd in Central19154Won Calder Cup
Grand Rapids Griffins2017–18 7642259932nd in Central523Lost in Division semifinals
AHL Totals 53629415354941734231

References

  1. Duhatschek, Eric (May 19, 2015). "Edmonton Oilers name Todd McLellan head coach". Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  2. "Todd Nelson named head coach of Griffins". June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  3. "Ain't It Grand". Grand Rapids Griffins. June 13, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  4. "Todd Nelson talks about leaving Griffins for NHL: 'I have to go'". mlive.com. May 31, 2018.
Preceded by
Dallas Eakins
Interim Head Coach of the Edmonton Oilers
2014–15
Succeeded by
Todd McLellan
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