Bob Nicholson (born May 27, 1953) is a Canadian ice hockey executive, administrator, and businessman. He has worked for Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) since 2016, and was previously the president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada from 1998 to 2014.
Nicholson grew up playing hockey in Penticton, British Columbia, winning a provincial title, then attended Providence College on a scholarship. He began his hockey administrator career in 1975 with BC Hockey, and worked his way up to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1989. During his tenure as president of Hockey Canada, national teams won 71 medals in international competitions, including 44 gold medals, seven Olympic gold medals, 12 world junior titles, five men's world championships, and 10 women's world championships. He transformed Hockey Canada into a profitable business, and raised the profile of the World Juniors. In addition to his work on Canadian national hockey, he spent four years as an International Ice Hockey Federation vice-president and council member.
Nicholson was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame, and is a recipient of the Order of Hockey in Canada and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He is married to Lorna Schultz Nicholson.
Early life and playing career
Bob Nicholson was born May 27, 1953, in Vancouver, British Columbia. He grew up in Penticton, and played pond hockey and minor ice hockey in the Okanagan area. His midget team was coached by Ivan McLelland, and won a provincial championship.
Nicholson moved up to the junior ice hockey level, played three seasons with the Penticton Broncos, and was named team captain in his third season. His Broncos team won the Mowat Cup for the British Columbia Hockey League championship, and then went on to win the Doyle Cup for the BC–Alberta championship in 1973. In the Western Canada finals for the Abbott Cup, Pentiction lost in seven games to the Portage Terriers from Manitoba. Nicholson attended Providence College on a scholarship to play NCAA hockey. While in Rhode Island, he played for head coach Lou Lamoriello, and was teammates with Brian Burke, and Ron Wilson.
British Columbia hockey
Nicholson's career as a hockey administrator began in 1975, when he accepted a job at the Oak Bay Recreational Centre, in Greater Victoria, British Columbia. In Oak Bay, he created programs for youths to play hockey for fun and develop skills, and successfully grew enrollment each year, then he was hired by Dave Andrews in 1979, to become technical director of the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association. Nicholson served in this capacity until 1989, and continued with fundamental skills development while touring the province. He was also in charge of coaching clinics for the BCAHA, and led player development camps for annual junior Olympic programs, and the program of excellence for the Canada men's national junior ice hockey team. Nicholson also coached at the junior A level, and the provincial Under-17 team at the Winter Canada Games. During the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Nichsolson was a commentator for CBC Sports.
National hockey vice-president
Nicholson was named vice-president of technical operations by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association as of July 1, 1989, when the organization looked to improve domestic programs, and became more involved in the growth of international hockey. He was appointed vice-president of programs for the CAHA in 1990, then senior vice-president in 1992. He continued in the same role after the merger of the CAHA with Hockey Canada in 1994. During that time he was responsible for overseeing the new Canada women's national ice hockey team program, the existing Canada men's national junior ice hockey team, coaching and refereeing certification, developmental programs, marketing, licensing and special events. Nicholson helped negotiate with the National Hockey League to allow its players to participate in the Winter Olympic games, beginning with the 1998 Winter Olympics, which also marked the first time women's hockey was played in the Olympics.