One of the toughest tasks in front of an NHL player is earning the trust of their head coach. A new head coach presents a fresh start with plenty of opportunity for players to earn minutes. In an early stage of the season, Nick Spaling has been a player to capitalize on that opportunity.
The 2015-16 season is the second consecutive season in a new city for Spaling. After five seasons with the Nashville Predators, Spaling was traded to Pittsburgh at the 2014 NHL Draft. One year later, the Palmerston, Ont., native was homeward bound on free agency day as part of a trade with the Leafs.