The Most Traveled Bulldog

He wore out his first stick as an eight-year-old beginner in Sweden, but it wasn't from firing an endless number of pucks. Nicholas Weberg, currently a Yale senior forward, rotted his blade because he used his stick to stay upright on his skates. He wasn't a natural skater, but he's come a long way since his "late start" in the sport.

The first Norwegian born (Oslo) player on a Yale hockey roster had been a very young, competitive skier when his family moved to Sweden.  There weren't enough mountains in Sweden, so his dad figured his boys should give hockey a try.

"I had to use my stick to stand up. The wooden blade rotted because it got so wet," said Weberg, who recalled how a janitor at the local rink would leave the building open for him and his family to skate on holidays.

"I only scored one goal that season and it was a tip-in," said the Bulldog who scored a goal in his first collegiate game and owns a national championship ring.

Weberg doesn't take anything for granted, especially being at Yale. "Being the first player from Norway doesn't mean anything, but being on the Yale roster means a lot to me," said the former Norwegian Junior National player who led the team in scoring and played against a Team USA squad at the world junior championships coached by Keith Allain '80, Yale's Malcolm G. Chace Head Coach.

The Weberg family went from Norway to Sweden before Nicholas left to attend high school in the states. In Sweden, there were schools focused on academics and schools centered on sports, but there weren't any that had both. That's why he ended up at Shattuck St. Mary's (SSM) as a sophomore.

"I didn't know what U.S. hockey was about. I heard about them (SSM) because they had played the junior national team from Sweden," said Weberg, who thrived at the Faribault, Minn., boarding school well known for producing Division I and professional players.  

It was a strange and challenging transition to a new life style, but it worked well for him.

"You get molded into one group and it forces you to work hard. You live in this bubble there, and it's all about hockey and school," said Weberg, who had a team-high 85 points in 54 games in 2010-11 and earned all-league honors. "The No. 1 priority is being a good, team guy there. They preach that. You come there as superstar and they mold you into a team player."

Weberg is the oldest of three hockey playing brothers. Sebastian is a freshman at Colgate (Nicholas missed the game at Hamilton with an injury this year) and Joachim plays at SSM.

"We always train together in the summer [in Sweden]. I want to be the big brother and push them harder. That has also helped me to get stronger and faster. I never wanted them to be even close to me as a hockey player."

Other than skating with and against his brothers, Weberg's opportunity to qualify his big brother status has been hampered by injuries. "I haven't had a full season at Yale, so I haven't been able to reach my full potential," said Weberg, who has compiled 75 career games with 23 points, including a pair of two-goal outings.

He has missed at least 35 games with various injuries, one of which has knocked him out of the last 10 games this season.

"I went home this summer to train with that (never having a full season) in mind. I came back ready to go and be a team leader, but I had just a bit of bad luck."

Weberg also missed the 2013 NCAA Tournament with an ailment but wouldn't trade anything for the ring.

"I was still a big part of the team, but it's still tough to think about Pittsburgh. As happy as I am that we won, I would have loved to contribute to it. I think about it every day. Injuries are part of the game… you know when you sign up for this sport, so you can't dwell on them… it's part of the game."

Having an angry coach in your face is another part of the game, certainly one that's more palpable. And sometimes these moments create great memories.

"We were playing Colgate at home last year, and a lot of guys were injured and sick. I started the game rocky and coach [Allain] chewed me out. I took a penalty on the next shift, and I thought to myself, 'I have to bounce back here real quick.'

He did redeem himself in fine fashion. Weberg jumped out of the Ingalls penalty box, took a lead pass from a teammate and went on a breakaway before sticking the puck behind the goalie. "That felt great," he said.

Like the great feeling he had that night, Weberg has made his teammates feel great about being a Bulldog. The Yale guys love to have their Norwegian friend around regardless of his playing status.

"Nicho [Weberg] is a huge part of our team. He's a key piece of the puzzle that makes us such a close knit group. He adds a spark to our game and we all hope that he's healthy enough to play soon," said Yale captain Tommy Fallen. 

Yale's No. 26 is working hard to return to the team and could be contributing again on the ice during the conference stretch run.

"Even with injuries, I like to be around the team and around the rink. I bring a certain element to the team. It's an energy and service… even though I'm not playing."

By Steve Conn, Yale Sports Publicity Director