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Old Time Hockey UK

Old Time Hockey UK

The Puck Drops Now!

Barry Nieckar Podcast Interview – Episode S4E06

9 February 2020 by Ken Abbott

Barry Nieckar Podcast IntervIew – Episode S4E06

Barry Nieckar, former London Knights and Nottingham Panthers Enforcer is my guest on todays show.
He spent the majority of his hockey career playing in North America, in the AHL, IHL and ECHL. Barry also had 8 games in the NHL, icing for the Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

Barry Nieckar

Barry, with wife Candace, have made their home in Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. Our interview was recorded early in December, at that time they were enjoying temperatures of minus 25c.

Barry the Enforcer

We talk about his hockey career and of how his role evolved into that of an enforcer, he recalls;

I didn’t fight a lot in Junior, it started
at my first NHL training camp and then going to the East Coast League
were I started getting into a fighting role.

I ask  Barry which was the toughest league to play in?
His answer;

The NHL, they have the best of the best, the most skilled players and the toughest.
Odds are that your opponent is just as tough
or even tougher than you are.

Barry NieckarWe talk of one particular event, a brutal, fast and furious fight with St Louis tough guy Tony Twist. Barry openly admits that Tony was probably one of the toughest guys he ever fought.
Check it out on Youtube here.
We go on to talk about the after effects of his enforcer role since retiring. Fortunately, 17 years after retiring from Pro Hockey, Barry continues to enjoy good health.

Barry in London

Even though Barry signed his contract in August 1999, it wasn’t until late December that he arrived in London.
Head coach Chris McSorley left him kicking his heels at home, bringing in other players but not Barry. This left him in limbo, he wasn’t earning a wage and couldn’t sign for any other club.
Eventually the case was taken to arbitration, Barry won and packed his bags, ready to set off for London.
However coach McSorley gave him just 2 days notice, insisting on him being in London by Christmas Day. Bloody mindedness by the coach perhaps?
Fortunately Barry and wife Candace pulled out all the stops and he made his SuperLeague debut the very next day.

Successful Knights

Barry NieckarIt was a successful season for the London Knights. Prior to Barry’s arrival the team had narrowly missed out on winning the Benson and Hedges Cup, by one penalty shot.
After taking a 2 – 0 lead against the Manchester Storm, the game had finished 3 – 3 after overtime.
Forward Rick Brebant scored the only penalty shot, which was enough to give the Manchester Storm victory. Ironically, just a week after the final, Brebant left Manchester and signed for the London Knights.
The Knights finished the season in 4th place and so made the SuperLeague Playoffs.

Playoff Success

London had made sure of their playoff weekend place by topping their quarter final group. In the semi final they faced the Ayr Scottish Eagles, the game ended 1 – 1 in regulation time. However an assist from Barry helped Mark Butje to score a second minute overtime winner.
In the final the Knights faced the Newcastle Riverkings, winning the game 7 – 3. It was the clubs first major trophy, it was Barry’s first UK winners medal too.

Barry in Nottingham

In the summer of 2000 Barry swapped London for the East Midlands when he signed for Nottingham Panthers. Coach Alex Dampier had wanted to sign him during the previous season but Barry’s London Knights contract had prevented it.

That September the Panthers had moved into the brand new £43 million National Ice Centre, the fans expected great things.
Although the team had former NHL Stanley Cup winners Jamie Leach and Jim Paek plus NHLers Bob Nordmark and David Struch the Panthers could only finish in 8th place. They also failed to make the Playoff finals weekend.
By Nottingham Panthers high standards it was a very poor season.

Battle of Lower Parliament Street

Unfortunately, that season was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
It was February 9th 2001 and as with most Panthers v Steelers encounters in those days, passions were running high. Unsurprisingly a few players had some things to settle from incidents that had happened from past meeting that season.

All hell broke loose

It was in the second period that the game boiled over, 24 minutes and 31 seconds of the game to be precise. Barry left the bench to protect team mate Greg Hadden from Sheffield enforcer Dennis Vial’s cross checking from behind onslaught. This was quickly followed by Scott Allison leaving the Steeler’s bench to protect his teammate, Dennis Vial.
In the heat of the moment Scott gave Barry a vicious check to the back of the neck, the force knocking his helmet off. Seconds later the benches cleared and fights broke out all over the place!
The “battle” lasted for over 11 minutes and made hockey news all over the world.
Eight Steelers players, four from the Panthers and both coaches were thrown out of the game.
In total, the teams racked up a SuperLeague record of 471 penalty points.
Check it out for yourself, it’s available on Youtube here:
 Youtube here.

Stranger than fiction

In all, Barry spent 3 seasons in Nottingham. In his third season, Barry’s former Steeler’s adversary, Scott Allison, became his teammate!
I asked Barry how he felt about that, he recalled;

At first I didn’t know what to make of it,
but, we shook hands

and became teammates.
He’s a class act and a really nice guy.

At the end of that season Barry retired and returned to Canada, he now works in the oil and gas industry.

Thanks for the memories Barry.

Shout out time

Today’s shout out goes to my Patreon Patrons.
To:
Tommy Boll, Oscar Brownsword, Michael Cook, Colin Dunn, Sean Holland, John Hume-Spry, Jim Murden, Jeff Povey, Chris Saddington and Andrew Williamson.
As ever, thanks for your continued support guys.

Alumni

You can also listen to Podcast interviews from Barry’s Nottingham Panthers alumni:

Mark Twaite  Episode S1E02 
Graham Waghorn  Episode S1E06
Randal Weber  Episode S1E07
Jamie Leach  Episode S1E010
Frankie Killen  Episode S1E12
Jimmy Keyes  Episode S1E13
Paul Adey  Episode S1E16
Fred Perlini  Episode S1E20
Craig Melancon  Episode S1E21
Gavin Fraser  Episode S1E22
Kenny McKie  Episode S1E25
Todd Bidner  Episode S1E27
Chuck Taylor  Episode S1E29
Selmar Odelein  Episode S2E01
Steve Carpenter  Episode S2E06
Paul Blahyj  Episode  S2E12
Stepen Cooper Episode S3E11
Greg Hadden Episode S4E02
Kenny Macdonald Episode S5E07

Become a Patron!

PatreonPatreon

You know I really love contacting former players and recording their hockey memories and then editing and producing this Podcast to bring those memories to you.
More importantly I know you love hearing them too.
We all love listening to those often hidden stories from inside the game, the stories that we, as fans, never get to hear.
Above all it really gives me a buzz every time I upload a brand new Podcast, knowing that you’ll remember and reminisce about those memories from your hockey heroes of the past.

However, it’s not cheap bringing this Podcast to you, that’s why I’ve chosen to use Patreon to ask for donations to keep the Podcast going.
You can really help the show by donating say, just $2 per Podcast episode (about £1.40) for the price of a cup of Coffee or the price of a Beer at $6 (about £4.20) – you really will be helping to keep the show going.

In addition, my Patrons will receive a reward, right now there are 4 different reward levels to chose from.
Plus I’ll be continually posting to Patreon, Videos and Podcasts that are exclusive to you, my Patrons.

Click on to the video below, I’ve recorded a brief  “Welcome to my Page” video – well, that’s from me and the dog – you’ll see what I mean when you checkout it out.

Become a Patron!

If you’d like more information about Patreon, the video below explains everything:

iTunes Reviews

Are you enjoying these Podcasts?
Therefore would you be able to leave a rating, preferably a 5 star rating and review on iTunes.
Reading your reviews gives me a great boost.
As a result of your review it’ll help the Podcast get found by others.
All 5 Star reviews get a shout out on the Podcast.

You can read other reviews and even leave one yourself by following this  iTunes link.

Filed Under: Podcast Episodes Tagged With: Alex Dampier, Barry Nieckar, Battle of Lower Parliament Street, Benson and Hedges Cup, Chris McSorley, Edmonton Oilers, Ice Hockey SuperLeague, London Knights, Mike Blaisdell, NHL, Nottingham Panthers, Scott Allison, Sekonda SuperLeague, Sheffield Steelers

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