CALGARY -- Bob Nicholsons advice to his successor at Hockey Canada is be as comfortable having a beer with a minor hockey coach in Kindersley, Sask. Brice Butler Jersey ., as you are in the New York office of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. From the 3,500 minor hockey associations across the country to the highest halls of hockey power, Nicholsons ability to establish, build and maintain connections turned Hockey Canada into a powerful sports organization. After 16 years as president and chief executive officer, Nicholsons last day on the job was spent presiding over the organizations annual general meeting in Calgary. "There are so many partnerships you have to work on," Nicholson said Saturday. "Thats how you grow the business side of the game and how you grow the game itself." His successor will be chosen by Hockey Canadas board of directors. Its a job of many moving parts that includes player, coach and official development programs, national teams, corporate sales and marketing, licensing, insurance, regulations and building consensus among 13 provincial branches. Nicholsons parting instructions also included tapping into Canadas multicultural population. "We need to figure out how to deal with new Canadians," he explained. "We need to be more flexible. We cant just register kids from September to April. We should have two or three hockey seasons. "The families are changing. We cant continue to do things we did in the 70s, 80s and 90s. There has to be change." There was a lot of that during Nicholsons tenure. The 60-year-old from Penticton, B.C., started with B.C. Hockey before joining Hockey Canada as vice-president in 1990. Hockey Canada and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association merged in 1994 and Nicholson became president in 1998. "The reason there was a merger was both organizations were bankrupt," Nicholson recalled. The non-profit organization is now an operation of approximately $45 million annually due in large part to marketing and packaging of Canadas passion, as well as turning the organization into a brand. "The easiest way to describe that was when I started as president we had 20 staff and we have 127 staff today. Our budgets were $5 million total," Nicholson said. "We just really took the mark and built partnerships." A prime example is the world mens under-20 hockey championship that is a major contributor to the coffers. Hockey Canada parlayed the annual tournaments growing popularity into lucrative sponsorships and a large television contract with TSN. The money goes not only to Hockey Canada, but to the Canadian Hockey League that supplies a large number of players to the tournament as well as minor hockey associations who develop them. Nicholson struck a deal with the International Ice Hockey Federation to bring the tournament to Canada every two years starting in 2015. Its also been held in Canada three of the last five years. "The world juniors and the womens worlds, those are a real staple in this country and theyre a big part of the tradition and also the financial side of it," Nicholson said. Canada has won both mens and womens Olympic hockey gold in back-to-back Winter Games. The 2002 mens hockey team, assembled by Wayne Gretzky, won gold to end a 50-year drought at the Winter Olympics. Canadian teams have won 44 gold at world championships, Olympics and World Cups on Nicholsons watch. "Look at the people hes brought into our organization, whether its high-end professional staff or people like Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman," Hockey Canada chairman Jim Hornell said. "His capacity to bring people into our organization is huge and that will live on." Registration rose from 519,000 in 1998 when Nicholson took over to 634,892 this past season. Much of that growth has come in the female game with an increase from 29,000 to almost 90,000 today. Nicholson has also been front and centre on thorny issues. In the wake of revelations that junior hockey coach Graham James sexually abused players, a Speak Out program was established in 1997 to help prevent abuse and bullying in sport. When to introduce bodychecking in minor hockey has been a source of continual and fractious debate. Concussions in hockey are problematic for the long-term health of players. Nicholson emphasized safety in his final address at the AGM. "Everything you do, do it for the player," he said. "Its not about the turf youre representing or the area of the country you live in. Do whats best for the player. Player safety, those terms are all changing. We have to change with the time. "I really believe when I look back 10 years from now, this organization is going to go to a whole other level. As long as you continue to focus on the players, making sure players play this game safe, Canada will always be the country that carries this game worldwide." Establishing an initiation program to introduce children age five and six to hockey is part of Nicholsons legacy. He also oversaw the move of Hockey Canadas headquarters from Father David Bauer Arena at the University of Calgary to the WinSport at Canada Olympic Park. His first day off the job Sunday was to be spent golfing in Penticton. Nicholson will continue as a IIHF vice-president. Speculation is the NHL will come calling. "I dont know," Nicholson said. "In fairness Ive got a lot of options on my table. I told everyone I wasnt going to speak until June 1. Im going to have to deal with some things and see where it goes." Benson Mayowa Jersey . The 25-year-old McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, was eligible to play for either Ireland or Team GB when golf makes its return to the Olympics in Brazil for the first time since 1904. A.Q. Shipley Jersey .com) - The San Francisco Giants delivered plenty of big hits to tie the World Series. http://www.cheapcardinalsjerseyssale.com/?tag=kurt-warner-jersey-sale .Y. -- As if the worst start in franchise history isnt bad enough, Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black braced his teams win-starved fans for potentially more tough times.FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - Matt Ryan cringed on Wednesday when remembering his most recent games against Arizonas defence.In seven seasons as the Atlanta quarterback, Ryans only games with more than three interceptions were his last two against the Cardinals.I appreciate you bringing it up, he said with a slight smile.Well, its difficult to avoid.Ryan threw a combined nine interceptions with only one touchdown as the Falcons somehow split the games with Arizona the last two years.Atlanta beat Arizona in 2012 despite Ryans career-high five interceptions. The Cardinals beat the Falcons last year as Ryan threw four picks.Ryan said he must learn from those tough games as Arizona visits Atlanta on Sunday in an unlikely pairing of first-place teams.I think probably the biggest thing is you have to be patient, Ryan said. You have to understand theyre going to make some plays, theyre going to get you off-schedule at certain times, but youve got to take whats there and Ive got to do a better job than Ive done the previous two times against them.Arizona will bring one of the NFLs top cornerback tandems to Atlanta in Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie. The two have combined for five interceptions.Peterson said Wednesday the key Sunday will be to keep pressure on Ryan so the defensive backs can make more big plays.As a defence we just want to continue to make sure we have hands in his face at all times, Peterson said in a telephone interview with Atlanta reporters. No quarterback, I dont care how good you are, loves hands in their face or love to be hit. If we make that pocket as uncomfortable as possible, we can have another successful day on defence.The Falcons (4-7) lead the woeful NFC South. Arizona (9-2) leads the NFC West and has the conferences best record, despite llast weeks loss to Seattle. Olsen Pierre Jersey. Atlanta has a tiebreaker advantage with New Orleans in the NFC South but could have held first alone with a better ending to last weeks 26-24 loss to Cleveland. Coach Mike Smith on Monday took the blame for poor clock management on Atlantas final possession, which ended with an incomplete sideline pass from Ryan for Devin Hester on a third-and-2 play.The loss was ugly but Ryan insists he still likes his team.I think its a tight-knit group, he said. I think you learn a lot about people and what theyre all about when you go through some tough times. I think our guys have continued to battle, have continued to prepare the way you need to work each week. That only gives you a chance. It doesnt guarantee anything on Sunday, but if you dont do it, it guarantees you wont play well.I think our guys have bought into the idea that preparation is key and we need to continue to do that moving forward. When we have the chance on the field to make plays, weve got to make plays.Ryan has 19 touchdown passes with nine interceptions this season. He completed 27 of 43 passes for 273 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against the Browns.NOTES: WR Roddy White (ankle), DT Paul Soliai (personal business), CB Robert Alford (wrist) and WR Harry Douglas (foot) did not practice. Smith said Soliai also will miss Thursdays practice. ... Smith said he expects to make a decision Friday on S William Moore (shoulder), who is eligible to return from short-term IR this week. Smith wants to see how Moores shoulder responds to Wednesdays session. ... 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