Nick Holden

Biography

Nick Holden (born May 15, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who was a defenceman for 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Vegas Golden Knights, and Ottawa Senators. Holden began his hockey career in the St. Albert, Alberta, area, playing alongside Ryan Stanton with the St. Albert Raiders. His play eventually drew attention towards him from the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), but he never foresaw a future with the sport. By the age of 18, Holden began apprenticeships to work towards the goal of becoming a plumber. Instead, he joined the Chilliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League (WHL) as an undrafted player and played two seasons with them. Holden ended his major junior hockey career by signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He played within the organization for seven years before leaving as a free agent for the Colorado Avalanche. While with the Avalanche, Holden became a mainstay on the NHL roster and proved to be an important part of their defence during the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. He spent three seasons with the Avalanche before being traded to the New York Rangers in 2016, who in turn, traded him to the Boston Bruins after a year and a half. Holden played 18 games with the Bruins before signing as a free agent with the Vegas Golden Knights, his fifth NHL club. Holden was traded to the Ottawa Senators in July 2021, before retiring in 2023 to join the Golden Knights' player development staff.

Bio from Wikipedia