Tuhia he haere tonu mo tenei whitianga - I takaro a Nickerson mo te Texas Tornado o te North American Hockey League i nga tau 2001 <unk> 02 me 2002 <unk> 03. I te wa o tana wa whakamutunga me te kapa i kukume a Nickerson i te aro o nga kaitirotiro NHL, i te 2003 NHL Entry Draft
I tīpakohia e te Dallas Stars a Nickerson i te rauna tuatoru me te whiringa 99 o te katoa. I noho a Nickerson i tana wa e whai ake nei i te Whare Wananga o Clarkson, i reira i eke ai ia ki te 179 meneti whiu i roto i nga keemu 38. I hainatia e Nickerson he kirimana taumata whakauru mo te toru tau i mua i te takaro i Victoriaville. Na te aukati o te NHL, i tukuna ia ki te Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Victoriaville Tigres, a ka huri hei pro i te Finnish SM-liiga, ka takaro me Ässät.