Blades alumnus Josh Nicholls claims British hockey’s “Grand Slam” with Sheffield Steelers
Sheffield, England – Former Saskatoon Blades forward Josh Nicholls helped the Sheffield Steelers come out on top of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) playoffs. The club also captured the Challenge Cup and the regular season title, completing British hockey’s, “Grand Slam.”
— Sheffield Steelers (@steelershockey) April 21, 2024
This was the Richmond, BC native’s first season with Sheffield, scoring 18 goals and 22 assists in 50 regular season games. The British club finished first in the league with a 38-5-7-1 record (W-OTW-L-OTL). Nicholls added a goal and three assists in four playoff games to help capture the Steelers’ 11th playoff title.
The 6-foot-2 winger suited up in five full seasons with the Blue and Gold from 2008-2013. In 332 career games, Nicholls scored 138 goals and 175 assists, placing him fifth all-time on the franchise scoring list at 313 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs 2010 seventh-round pick enjoyed his best season in the 2012-13 campaign, scoring a career-high 47 goals and added 38 assists alongside them.
The right-handed shot played in the postseason every year as a member of the Blades, potting eight goals and nine assists in 35 career WHL playoff contests. Nicholls also gained Memorial Cup experience when the Blades hosted the tournament in 2013.
Following his junior hockey career, Nicholls spent the next four seasons between the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack and the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, with a brief stint in Colorado with the Eagles. Nicholls pro career has spanned over a decade all around the globe and still continues today.