INCH's A to Z: American International's Nielsson Arcibal

Click here to read Ken McMillan's story on the Inside College Hockey website.

NIELSSON ARCIBAL
American International
Sr. | F | Vista, Calif.

Key Statistics: Arcibal enjoyed a breakout season during his junior year. His 11 goals nearly doubled his total output over his first two seasons with the Yellow Jackets. “He knew how to bring his game to that next level,” said AIC coach Gary Wright. He’s managed three consecutive seasons with double-digit helpers (11, 12 and 14). Arcibal ranked second on AIC with 25 points and the 14 assists. Through 98 career games, Arcibal has 17 goals, 37 assists and 54 points.

What He Does: Arcibal is a high-energy player who works hard all the time. He’s not exactly a sniper but most of his shots are good quality and he creates a lot of chances with his break-neck speed. “He’s fearless in taking pucks to the net,” Wright said. Though only 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds, Arcibal is a battler. He started his junior season as a center but was moved to wing late in the season. The only thing Wright asked Arcibal to work on during the offseason was improving his positional awareness on the backcheck.

The Bigger Picture: The AIC players vote for their team captain every season, and when the ballots were counted in the spring Arcibal received a lot more votes than candidates in previous years. “His leadership is pretty integral to our program,” Wright said. Arcibal was a top-line player who saw time on both the power play and penalty kill, and Wright doesn’t foresee any change.

American International coach Gary Wright on Arcibal: “We hope that breakthrough aspect is still on-going. I still think he has a pretty big upside. If we’re going to continue to get out of the woods, we need to do it with players like him.”