Nikos Tselios
| Nikos Tselios | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
January 20, 1979 Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA | ||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | ||
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Carolina Hurricanes | ||
| National team |
 | ||
| NHL Draft |
22nd overall, 1997 Carolina Hurricanes | ||
| Playing career | 1996–2007 | ||
Nikos Tselios (Greek: Νίκος Τσέλιος; born January 20, 1979) is a former American professional ice hockey defenseman. Tselios became the first draft pick in Carolina Hurricanes history when he was selected 22nd overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career
Tselios was the first draft pick for the inaugural Carolina Hurricanes in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. After he was drafted, Tselios returned to the OHL to play for the Belleville Bulls.[1]
Tselios made his NHL debut with the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2001–02 season, playing two games.[2][1] Those would be the only NHL games he would play as he spent the next four seasons playing in the minor leagues. In October 2005, Tselios signed with KalPa of the Finnish SM-liiga and played with them until January 31, 2006, when he moved to Swedish Färjestads BK. He scored his first goal at Färjestad on March 25 in the semifinal of the Swedish Championship against HV 71. He then played in the United Hockey League with the Chicago Hounds before returning to Sweden, signing with HK Örebro in the Swedish First Division, the country's third-tier level.[3]
Personal
Tselios is a cousin of long-time NHL defenseman Chris Chelios.[4] Tselios also tried for the ELLAS Greece National Team in the 2006.
Tselios early childhood summers were spent in Greece on the island of Evia. Tselios and cousin Chris, spent summers playing ball hockey in their parents village of Farakla. They joke about this at family gatherings today in Chicago, as their cousins in Evia, Greece, continue to play ball hockey in a country where soccer reigns. Their uncle George Spartalis (Chris Chelios mother's brother) who lives on the Island, runs a small inter ball hockey league today where 4 teams compete. Trifonia Spartalis, Evia's mayor, finds the spirit of the game to be more exciting than the local soccer clubs which gather more attendance.
Tselios now owns and operates an instructional hockey business entitled Infinity Hockey Selects, and resides in Illinois with his wife and son.[5]
Career statistics
--- Regular Season --- ---- Playoffs ---- Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1996-97 Belleville Bulls OHL 64 9 37 46 61 6 1 1 2 2 1997-98 Belleville Bulls OHL 20 2 10 12 16 -- -- -- -- -- 1997-98 Plymouth Whalers OHL 41 8 20 28 27 15 1 8 9 27 1998-99 Plymouth Whalers OHL 60 21 39 60 60 11 4 10 14 8 1999-00 Cincinnati Cyclones IHL 80 3 19 22 75 10 0 2 2 4 2000-01 Cincinnati Cyclones IHL 79 7 18 25 98 5 0 3 3 0 2001-02 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 2 0 0 0 6 -- -- -- -- -- 2001-02 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 70 3 16 19 64 -- -- -- -- -- 2002-03 Springfield Falcons AHL 13 0 2 2 12 6 0 0 0 4 2002-03 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 61 4 8 12 65 -- -- -- -- -- 2003-04 Springfield Falcons AHL 75 5 8 13 105 -- -- -- -- -- 2003-04 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 2004-05 Springfield Falcons AHL 35 3 6 9 37 -- -- -- -- -- 2004-05 Utah Grizzlies AHL 5 1 1 2 4 -- -- -- -- -- 2005-06 KalPa Kuopio FNL 21 0 2 2 67 -- -- -- -- -- 2005-06 Farjestads BK Karlstad SEL 7 0 0 0 10 11 1 0 1 12 2006-07 Chicago Hounds UHL 4 0 0 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- --------------------------------------------------
References
- 1 2 MacNeil, Ian (March 27, 2017). "The Worst Defenseman In Every NHL Team's History". thesportster.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ↑ "Pre-Game Skate: HURRICANES at ATLANTA". NHL.com. April 13, 2002. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
Carolina defenseman Nikos Tselios made his NHL debut in the game.
- ↑ Dahlberg, Martin (January 31, 2007). "Gahn och Leijon till Örebro". svenskafans.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ↑ "This Tselios Making His Name Known". Chicago Tribune. July 8, 1997. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
"It's pronounced the same, but ours is the Greek spelling," says Nik Tselios, a cousin of Blackhawks captain Chris Chelios.
- ↑ "2015 IHHF Bio Series: Nikos Tselios". ahaienews.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
| Preceded by Jean-Sébastien Giguère |
Carolina Hurricanes first round draft pick 1997 |
Succeeded by Jeff Heerema |