Hauppauge Resident Moves Up Professional Hockey's Ranks

A Hauppauge resident is moving up professional ice hockey's ranks this 2010-2011 season.

Hockey player Vladimir Nikiforov, 23, was traded to the Bakerfields Condors in California, after starting the season with the Florida Everblades in the East Coast Hockey League. Nikiforov is proving he can be a force on the ice, taking the man advantage in a 5-4 shootout victory over the Stockton Thunder on Oct. 29. 

"It's awesome here [in Bakersfields]," Nikiforov said. "I'm way happier here. I'm on the first power play and getting better."

The trade gives the Hauppauge High School alumni hopes of being called up to the American Hockey League this season, but its taken years of training and practice to get where he is now.

Nikiforov started on the ice at age 8, when his father, Aleksey, a hockey coach and instructor on Long Island,  put him on skates and started teaching him the finer points of moving about on the ice. Aleksey had played for the Dynamo Riga of the Russian Elite League before moving to the United States to make a better life for his family.

Then, Aleksey allowed his then 9-year-old son to use a stick and started instructing him on the fundamentals of the game. He coached Vladimir on his first junior team, the NY Bobcats of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League.

"He was pretty hard on me," Nikiforov said. "It got me a lot better at hockey. It was a kind of a love-hate relationship with hockey. But my dad made me the player I am today."

Dad's tutelage paid off, as Vladimir was drafted by the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League, a highly competitive junior league in Canada, out of a showcase camp. He played for the Colts and Sarina Sting from 2005 to 2008.

Vladimir's play caught the New York Islanders's attention, who signed him to an AHL (Triple-A) contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of Connecticut. In 19 games with the Sound Tigers, the right the ring winger notched five points (one goal, four assists).

Vladimir was sent down to the Utah Grizzles of the ECHL (Double-A) where he spent the rest of campaign, recording 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) in 45 contests. He returned to Utah the following season, to post 51 points on 19 tallies and 32 helpers in 61 games, breaking all his professional career records.

He also saw camp time with the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues, taking a valuable piece of each experience with him wherever he skates

"I learned a lot," Nikiforov said. "It's a quicker pace of hockey. I saw how professional the guys were. Each was a different experience, and I try to add it to my game."

At  5-foot, 8-inches and 170 pounds, Nikiforov is on the small side compared to other hockey players. But he doesn't let it prevent him from succeeded on the ice.

"My whole life I had to play against bigger players," he said "It doesn't affect me anymore. In fact, it motivates me. I just know I can play at any level. If somebody says I can't do it, I'm too small, I show them I can play. It doesn't matter what size I am."

Sure, he'd love to get called up to AHL this season, but it hasn't diminished his desire to help the Condors win.

"My goal is to play in the AHL," he said. "It's definitely on my mind, but I'm looking to help the team win."

Hoping to become a mainstay in the AHL in the near future, Nikiforov said he like to further develop his game, and then see what the hockey Gods have in store. He's not giving the NHL that much though at this juncture of his career.

"I want to play a full year in the AHL, and take it from there. I take things one day at a time, and try not to jump ahead. Work for today, and not worry about the future that much," Nikiforovo said.