Nicolas Gonzalez '19 Recruiting Profile

Playing for Northern Illinois University at the ACHA D1 level

November 2018 - Recipient of the first annual LA Jr Kings Walker Tobin Memorial Scholarship at the Midget level, based on strong character and leadership skills, both on and off the ice.  

At four years old, my parents tried to get me interested in some kind of sport. They tried almost every sport available to a toddler in Southern California and finally decided to try ice skating.  My dad has been a big LA Kings fan from the early 90’s, and this was the next sport to try.   From that point forward, I have never looked back and when I saw the big boys in their hockey gear, I knew that this was what I was born to do.  At the time I did not know what I was getting myself into but as I reflect on my journey after 10+ years of playing in-house and travel hockey, I can honestly say that I would not trade any of the lessons I’ve learned or the friends I’ve made for anything else in the world.

My name is Nicolas Gonzalez and I grew up in Southern California, where other sports are much more popular than hockey.  From the first time I put on my hockey gear, hockey has grown into a passion and it is part of what defines me as a young man today.  I have always been one of the tallest kids on the team and today I am 6’2” feet tall, weighing 160 pounds and I shoot right handed.

I am able to play both offense and defense. As a defenseman, I like to skate the puck up when I have an open lane but also make the appropriate pass when needed. I use my body to initiate contact and have my center pick up the puck and I block as many shots as I can. Since I have played as a Center, Forward and Defensemen, I feel that this has helped me see the ice better.  I can visualize where my wingers will be so that I make strong first passes out of the zone. Also, since I am a strong skater this allows me to join the rush and help in scoring opportunities.  After 50+ games with the LA JR KINGS Bantam AA team years ago, I was a +35 with 14 goals and 25 assists.  Since I had the trust of my coach, I was always matched up against the other team’s top offensive lines as well as playing on the power play and penalty kill units.

As a previous captain for my teams, I know that I am a leader on and off the ice whether it be grades, work ethic and hockey IQ.  I understand that I have a big responsibility as a leader to lead by example and to make smart decisions since my teammates look up to me. I have a strong work ethic and although I like to joke around with my teammates, when we are out of the ice be that in practice or a game, I always give 110% in every drill.  I want to inspire my teammates to play just as hard so even if we do not win, we can skate off the ice with our heads high since we know that we left our heart and soul on the ice. 

I am currently a Senior at Millikan High School in Long Beach, CA, where I am taking honors/AP classes and have a 3.21 GPA. In school, I always get all my work done on time considering how much time I spend on the ice each week. The lessons I have learned in hockey have helped me to focus better in school work as I know that school is just as important as hockey even though it might not seem that way. When I was nine years old, I learned an invaluable lesson that has shaped me into who I am today.  I did not make the team I was trying out for that season, and I will not lie I was devastated since all my friends made the team except me. While at first I was angry, I made the decision to train harder than ever before and became the best player possible so that I could prove to myself that the decision was not going to define who I was.  As a result, I was named Captain of the team and our team went on to win the Southern California (SCAHA) and State (CAHA) Championships. I always remember this lesson when things get hard, when I’m tired or feel like things aren’t going my way.  I remind myself that I am not the person that ever gives up whether it be in a game, practice or at school. As such, I make it a point in the summers to go to my local rink to help teach young kids to appreciate and love the game of hockey just as much as I do. I hope to pass on my knowledge and work ethic to these kids so that someday they can live out their dreams like I hope to do as well.

My goal is to become a college hockey player. I know that this is an incredibly challenging goal, but just like the life lesson I learned when I was nine years old about not giving up, I am willing to work hard in order to reach my goal. I always remind myself that “No goal is too great to achieve.”