A guy doesn't get a two-year deal for over a million bucks a year unless you're expecting some kind of major impact from him.
Statistics suggest otherwise.
Last season for New Jersey, he managed only 19 goals and 27 assists in 61 games. The year before, split between New Jersey and Edmonton, he had just 13 goals in 69 games. As center on the second line with Paul Ysebaert and Joe Murphy, Nicholls is expected to take pressure off top player Jeremy Roenick. It helps Jeremy, because when Nicholls is having a big night, the checker has to move off Roenick and on to Nicholls. Besides, both Sutter and Roenick say, Nicholls' stats are deceiving.