Nick Spaling Nick Spaling ( born September 19 , 1988 ) is a Canadian ice hockey player , currently playing for the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League . He previously played three seasons with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) . He shoots left and plays centre position . His favourite players are Joe Sakic and Doug Gilmour , and he was a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs growing up . Family . Nick Spaling was born in Palmerston , Ontario but raised in nearby Drayton . His parents are Charles and Lorrie . He has three siblings : older sister Nicole , older brother Nathan , and younger sister Natasha . Nathan also plays hockey and played one season with the Guelph Storm of the OHL . Minor hockey . Spaling grew up playing most of his minor hockey for his hometown Drayton Flyers of the OMHA before playing high school hockey for Norwell District Secondary School at age 16 . He was undrafted by the Ontario Hockey League after his minor Midget season and signed as a free agent with the Listowel Cyclones Jr . B . club of the OHA . After a solid season with the Cyclones , Spaling was chosen in the 6th round of 2005 OHL Priority Selection as a major midget - aged player by the Kitchener Rangers . OHL career . Prior to playing in the OHL , Spaling played with the Listowel Cyclones of the Mid - Western Junior Hockey League . The Cyclones had won the league ' s Cherry Cup , despite placing seventh ( of nine teams ) in the regular season . This was the team ' s only league title in the MWJBHL , although they had won the 1976 – 77 title while in the Central Junior " C " Hockey League . The Kitchener Rangers selected Spaling in the 6th round of the 2005 OHL Priority Draft , 118th overall . He played with the Rangers for the duration of his OHL career from 2005 to 2008 . He was named the Kitchener Rangers ' rookie of the year for the 2005 – 06 season . In 2007 , he played in the CHL Top Prospects Game . He also played for the OHL All - Stars in the 2007 ADT Canada - Russia Challenge ; the OHL team was the only Canadian team to have won both games against the Russian team — the QMJHL and WHL teams both won and lost one game each . Spaling competed in the 2008 OHL All - Star Classic for the Western Conference All - Stars , scoring one goal . He was named an alternate captain for his last season with the Rangers , the 2007 – 08 season . Spaling contributed greatly to the success of the Kitchener Rangers in the 2008 OHL playoffs . In 20 games he scored 30 points . At the 2008 Memorial Cup , he was tied in third in points with 8 points in 5 games . Spaling won the William Hanley Trophy in the 2007 – 08 season , awarded to the OHL ' s most sportsmanlike player . Spaling was selected for Team Canada ' s junior training camp for the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships , but he was forced to return home early as he had been diagnosed with mononucleosis . Professional career . Among North American skaters ( non - goalie players ) , he was ranked 24th in the NHL Central Scouting final report for 2007 ; he was 30th in the mid - season rankings . At the 2007 NHL Entry Draft , Spaling was selected in the second round , 58th overall , by the Nashville Predators . Spaling signed an entry - level contract with the Nashville Predators in the summer of 2008 . The contract is reported to be a 3 - year , $ 1 . 95 million contract . He attended the Predators ' training camp and was later reassigned to the team ' s AHL affiliate , the Milwaukee Admirals . He began the 2008 – 09 AHL season playing for the Admirals wearing # 13 . After beginning the 2009 – 10 AHL season with Milwaukee , Spaling was recalled by Nashville . He played his first NHL game on December 15 , 2009 , and assisted on a goal by Ryan Jones in Nashville ' s 7 – 4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning . On December 13 , 2010 , he scored his first NHL goal in a 5 - 0 win against the New York Islanders . On July 7 , 2011 , Spaling signed a two - year contract with the Nashville Predators .