Canisius College has gained a 2019-2020 commit from Nick Parody. Neutral Zone has noted Nick as a strong and tough defender that has the ability to play a two-way game.
At the age of 3, Nick tells us how his Dad introduced him to the sport:
“We lived in Elmira, NY and he took me to an outdoor skating rink and I immediately liked it. At the age of 4, we moved to Harrisburg, PA and my Dad signed me up for a hockey league for beginners at Twin Ponds ice rink.” We asked Nick about his youth hockey experience in PA, “It was great when I was younger. I played for the Hershey Jr. Bears and had many friends that played with me. As I got older, the competition changed. I traveled to Philadelphia [several] times a week and joined the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers for AAA hockey.”
Nick played 2 seasons of prep hockey at Canterbury School, he tells us why he decided to move to New Milford, CT to play and his overall prep experience:
“My family and I thought it would be a great way to improve [my] education and really focus on growing as an independent person. My prep hockey experience was amazing. I loved every minute of it. Just being with the guys, whether it was in class, in the dorms, or at the rink, I always had fun. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.”
After prep he played for the Islanders Hockey Club in the NCDC, he tells us about the transition:
“My transition [into junior hockey] was a little hard. It was a totally different style of play than I was used to. Everything was so fast and organized, plus it was a lot more physical. Having a team of veterans to help me and show me what it took to play at the junior level was helpful.”
He elaborates on Islanders program:
“I played on the spilt season team with the Islanders organization while attending prep school, so that gave me exposure to their program. When they made me an offer to join their junior team, I did not hesitate. They have a reputation of a winning program and many kids that committed to Division 1 schools. I felt the coaches’ knowledge of the game and the commitment that is needed to take hockey to the next level was something that I would benefit from. Coach Tremblay and Coach Dyment have pushed me as player and helped to develop into a Division I athlete.”
Taking us through his NCAA recruitment:
“Recruiting started at Canterbury Prep School. After the games, I had several coaches who would meet with me and talk about their school and what they had to offer. One coach I immediately connected with was Scott Moeser from Canisius College. In my senior year at Canterbury Prep I met Scott after one of my games. He expressed an interest and told me what I needed to work on to be able to join his team. He encouraged me to enter the Junior league program and to keep in touch with him. I joined the Islanders Hockey Club and again the coaches would meet with me after the games. I visited several schools over the past 2 years and met with coaches. I still had contact with Canisius, and the interest was strong.”
Looking back on his final decision to commit to Canisius:
“There was something about the personal connection with the coaching staff and the feeling that they were interested in me as a hockey player and also as a student that made my decision to join their team an easy one. They are focused on family first and they care about the players, as well as, the fit for my whole family. Our visit was very comfortable and relaxed. Their vision is very clear, and they have organized and achievable goals. They are committed to developing players on and off the ice. Their facilities at the Harborcenter are top notch and the city is consistently expanding and offering more opportunities. I’m excited to be a part of that.”
Nick played 41 games on the blue line with the Islanders this season, accumulating 12 points on 3 goals and 9 assists.
Photo Credit: Josh Boyd/ USPHL. Also, thanks to Margaret Hickling for the crop.