Nikos Tselios

Nikos Tselios
Born	(1979-01-20) January 20, 1979 Glen Ellyn, IL, 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	United States
NHL Draft	22nd overall, 1997 Carolina Hurricanes
Playing career	1996–2007
Website	Ultimate Hockey Camps

Nikos Tselios (Greek: Νίκος Τσέλιος; born January 20, 1979) is a former American professional ice hockey defenseman. Tselios was the first draft pick in the Carolina Hurricanes history when he was selected 22nd overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Tselios made his NHL debut with the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2001–02 season, playing two games. 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.

Personal

Nikos is a cousin of long-time NHL defenseman Chris Chelios. Nikos also tried for the ELLAS Greece National Team in the 2006. Nikos early childhood summers were spent in Greece on the island of Evia. Nikos 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 Ultimate Hockey Camps, and resides in Winfield, Illinois with his personal assistant, Joe Renzi and his chauffeur, Jesse Ratzloff.

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  --  --  --  --  --
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References

External links

• Nikos Tselios career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database