Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Vegas hires former Capitals scout as player development director

NHL Board of Governors Meeting

NEW YORK - APRIL 20: George McPhee, VP and GM of the Washington Capitals speaks with reporters following the National Hockey League Board of Governors meeting at the Westin New York Hotel on April 20, 2005 in New York City. Representatives from all 30 NHL teams met in New York for the second time in seven weeks. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Nice timing on this news, breaking during PHT’s Washington Capitals day -- Las Vegas announced that former Caps scout Wil Nichol has been hired as the club’s first-ever director of player development.

Nichol, 42, had been with Washington since 2011, where he worked under current Vegas GM George McPhee.

Prior to the Caps gig, Nichol served as head coach with two different outfits -- USHL Chicago and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point -- and pulled double duty with the Steel, working as the club’s GM as well.

Long story short, he’s worn several hats during his front office career.

Which seems to be a theme with McPhee’s hires thus far.

Earlier, Vegas announced that Kelly McCrimmon would serve as McPhee’s assistant GM. McCrimmon joined the expansion outfit after a do-it-all career with WHL Brandon, where he was the owner, general manager and head coach.

More on McPhee’s hiring process, from Sports Illustrated:

Five more contracts have been signed to fill various high-level roles, McPhee told SI.com via telephone, including a salary cap expert, a director of hockey operations, a director of player development (former Capitals scout Wil Nichol was announced on Aug.4), and an organizational goalie director.

He hopes that directors of pro and amateur scouting will be found within the week.

Related: McPhee wants to play ‘attack’ hockey in Vegas