Monday, April 2, 2007
The 1994-95 season was a special time for Todd Nelson, who became the 10th member of Portland Pirates Hall of Fame Sunday during ceremonies at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
"It was just a special season," said Nelson, a rugged defenseman who spent two of his 12 professional seasons as a player with the Pirates. "We won the (Calder) Cup and I had a chance to play with my brother here and share that experience, which is special to me."
Nelson's brother, Jeff, was a high-scoring forward for the Pirates.
"It was the year I got called up to Washington for one or two months, and I scored my first NHL goal." Nelson said. "(That season) was one of the highlights of my career. It was a really good time."
Nelson is the eighth member of the Calder Cup-winning team inducted into the team's hall of fame.
"My time spent here was special because everyone cared more about each other than themselves," Nelson said. "That was what brought us together. It wasn't the most talented team in the league. We were up there, but what separated us is we all had this passion to win the Cup. Do it together and share it together."
Nelson, who had 21 goals and 69 assists in 155 regular-season games with the Pirates, was a strong two-way player on a squad filled with similar players.
"We had a bunch of guys who could play any style," said Nelson, who also had eight assists in 18 playoff games with Portland. "We were explosive. We could score goals. But we were also tough."
Since retiring as a player, Nelson, a native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, has moved into coaching. He is an assistant for the Chicago Wolves, who have clinched a playoff berth in the AHL's West Division.
Nelson also was head coach for Muskegon in the UHL for three seasons, guiding the Fury to league championships in his first two seasons.
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:
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