David Pickering
When playing in the CHL, your life can change in minutes.
One moment you are planning to play your next game in Peterborough; the next, you are on your way to Hamilton to play with your new team.
That was the case for Oakville’s Nick Lardis, as he was a part of an extensive trade in the OHL that sent him and Sahil Panwar, along with two draft picks to Hamilton in exchange for Avery Hayes and Gavin White.
"It was pretty crazy," Lardis said about being told he was traded, "I’ve never really experienced going to a different team in the same league at any point in my career. It was a little nerve-racking but just overall really exciting."
With CHL teams being a business like most sports franchises, hard decisions must be made, and sometimes you need to trade players.
Supposedly, this trade had been in the works for a while. It was just a matter of what team Lardis would be going to.
Lardis had multiple conversations with his parents and agent about the best situation for him and his junior career going forward.
He also spoke with Peterborough Petes' GM Michael Oke and Bulldogs' Interim GM Matt Turek, and Hamilton was a "no-brainer" for Lardis and all of his representatives.
"It was a great fit for me," said Lardis "being close to home and (the team) plays such a skilled and fast game there, so it was a no-brainer to say yes to the trade."
Nick made the right choice, as he has had an offensive explosion with the Bulldogs.
In only five games with his new team, he has scored five goals and three assists, totalling eight points and has started to find a role on the Bulldogs.
Hamilton’s coaches have helped Lardis in this transition.
"They have given me all of the opportunity to show my skill, and they have given me all of the opportunity to help me be at my full potential."
Lardis’ new success in Hamilton and his recent production may help him move up the draft rankings in this year's NHL draft.
NHL central scouting currently has Lardis at number 96 amongst North American skaters for this year's draft, which has him being a late-round pick.
Lardis says he has seen some of those rankings.
"Yea, I’ve seen some of those numbers, but I think at the end of the day, you don’t look at that stuff; you’ve just got to play your game and just worry about yourself because, at the end of the day, the lists don’t really matter you just need one team to really like you."
Nick now sets his eyes on the rest of this season and also the NHL top prospects game that he will be participating in.
In that game, Nick will have the chance to show all his skills to NHL scouts, hoping one of them will call his name in June at the NHL draft.
