Nick Cicek

Last updated

Nick Cicek
2025-04-06 Eisbaren Berlin gegen Adler Mannheim (Deutsche Eishockey-Liga 2024-25) by Sandro Halank-018.jpg
Nick Cicek, 2025
Born (2000-05-29) May 29, 2000 (age 25)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Calgary Flames
San Jose Sharks
Adler Mannheim
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2021present

Nicholas Cicek (born May 29, 2000) is a Canadian-Turkish professional ice hockey defenceman playing under contract with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has formerly played with the San Jose Sharks.

Contents

Playing career

Cicek originally played junior hockey in his home city of Winnipeg before he was selected in the seventh-round, 149th overall, of the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft by the Portland Winterhawks. He played the Winnipeg Wild in the Manitoba U-18 'AAA' Hockey League (MMHL) and Winnipeg Blues of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) before making his major junior debut with Portland.

He appeared in parts of four season with the Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League (WHL), captaining the club in his final season in 2020–21, while notching career highs in assists and points despite the shortened COVID-19 affected campaign.

As an undrafted free agent and having completed his junior career, Cicek signalled the beginning of his professional career in signing a one-year AHL contract with the San Jose Barracuda on May 20, 2021. He immediately joined the Barracuda on an amateur try-out contract for the remainder of the 2020–21 season. [1]

In his first full professional season in 2021–22, Cicek continued his late-blooming development in quickly establishing himself within the Barracuda blueline to finish second in points and finish 9th in league scoring among rookie defenceman with 5 goals and 25 points through 53 regular season games. On April 12, 2022, Cicek was signed to his first NHL contract after agreeing to a two-year, entry-level deal with the Barracuda's affiliate, the San Jose Sharks. [2]

Cicek was reassigned by the Sharks to continue with the Barracuda to begin the 2022–23 season. After 10 scoreless games with the Barracuda, Cicek received his first recall to the NHL on November 15, 2022. [3] He immediately made his NHL debut with the Sharks that night, playing in a top-four pairing role in a 5–2 defeat against the Vegas Golden Knights. [4] In just his second game, he registered his first point, an assist on a goal to Matt Nieto, during a 7–4 defeat to the Detroit Red Wings on November 17, 2022. [5]

On December 15, 2023, Cicek was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Jack Studnicka. [6]

At the conclusion of his contract with the Canucks, Cicek left as a free agent and signed his first contract abroad in joining German club, Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), on a one-year deal on July 18, 2024. [7] In the 2024–25 season, Cicek appeared in 50 games with three goals and 14 assists for 17 points along with 79 penalty minutes. Cicek would skate in an additional 10 playoff contests for Mannheim, recording two points from one goal and one assist.

As a free agent, Cicek returned to North America in securing a one-year, two-way contract with the Calgary Flames for the 2025–26 season on July 1, 2025. [8]

Personal

Cicek's father, Nazim, is from Turkey and he holds both Canadian and Turkish citizenship. He played for Turkey in the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival when he was 16. [4] Cicek's younger brother, Michael, plays major junior hockey with the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. [9]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2015–16Winnipeg Wild MMHL 30110411210
2016–17Winnipeg WildMMHL3432124871127926
2017–18 Winnipeg Blues MJHL 34610161041212312
2017–18 Portland Winterhawks WHL 70006
2018–19 Portland WinterhawksWHL44013135450220
2019–20 Portland WinterhawksWHL634101491
2020–21 Portland WinterhawksWHL245162146
2021–22 San Jose Barracuda AHL 535202562
2022–23 San Jose BarracudaAHL3712338
2022–23 San Jose Sharks NHL 1604415
2023–24 San Jose BarracudaAHL1812321
2023–24 Abbotsford Canucks AHL49311145260222
2024–25 Adler Mannheim DEL 5031417791011217
NHL totals1604415

Awards and honours

AwardYear
MMHL
First All-Star Team2017

References

  1. "Cicek agrees to terms with San Jose Barracuda". Portland Winterhawks. May 20, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  2. "Sharks sign defenceman Nick Cicek". San Jose Sharks. April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  3. San Jose Sharks (November 15, 2022). "Sharks recall D Nick Cicek from Barracuda" . Retrieved November 29, 2022 via Twitter. [self-published]
  4. 1 2 "Sharks defenseman, making NHL debut, gets boost from teammates after turnover". The Mercury News. November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  5. "Red Wings beat Sharks 7–4, snap four-game losing streak". ESPN. November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  6. "Canucks acquire Nick Cicek, sixth-round pick from Sharks for Jack Studnicka". Sportsnet. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  7. "Adlerm complete the defense with Nick Cicek". Adler Mannheim. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  8. "Flames sign Nick Cicek". Calgary Flames. July 1, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  9. "Michael Cicek player profile". eliteprospects.com. November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.