Playing career

Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, Nelson played primarily in the minors and played just one game for the Penguins. Signed as a free agent by the Washington Capitals, he helped guide the Capitals' minor league affiliate Portland Pirates to the Calder Cup in 1994. He was inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2007. Nelson played in just two games for the Washington Capitals, and played in the minors until his retirement in 2002.

Coaching career

Following his professional hockey career, Nelson moved into coaching. He was first the assistant coach/player coach for the Muskegon Fury of the UHL for the 2001-02 season. He was then an assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL for the 2002-03 season before returning as head coach of the Muskegon Fury from 2003-2006. The Fury won the Colonial Cup his first two years as their coach. He moved on to be the assistant coach for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL from 2006-2008, who won the Calder Cup in his final season as an assistant.

On July 25, 2008, he accepted an assistant coaching position with the Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL.

On July 15, 2010, he was introduced as the first head coach of the AHL's Oklahoma City Barons, affiliate of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.

After the firing of Dallas Eakins on December 15, 2014, Nelson was promoted to head coach of the Oilers on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2014-15 NHL season. He was replaced as head coach by Todd McLellan on May 19, 2015.

On June 16, 2015, Nelson was named the head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Awards

• WHL East Second All-Star Team (1989, 1990)

Career statistics

				Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1985-86	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL		4	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1986-87	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL		35	1	6	7	10		4	0	0	0	0
1987-88	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL		72	3	21	24	59		10	3	2	5	4
1988-89	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL		72	14	45	59	72		4	1	3	4	4
1989-90	Prince Albert Raiders	WHL		69	13	42	55	88		14	3	12	15	12
1990-91	Muskegon Lumberjacks	IHL		79	4	20	24	32		3	0	0	0	4
1991-92	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1991-92	Muskegon Lumberjacks	IHL		80	6	35	41	46		14	1	11	12	4
1992-93	Cleveland Lumberjacks	IHL		76	7	35	42	115		4	0	2	2	4
1993-94	Washington Capitals	NHL		2	1	0	1	2		4	0	0	0	0
1993-94	Portland Pirates	AHL		80	11	34	45	69		11	0	6	6	6
1994-95	Portland Pirates	AHL		75	10	35	45	76		7	0	4	4	6
1995-96	Hershey Bears	AHL		70	10	40	50	38		5	1	2	3	8
1996-97	Grand Rapids Griffins	IHL		81	3	18	21	32		5	1	0	1	0
1997-98	Grand Rapids Griffins	IHL		75	6	21	27	36		3	0	0	0	2
1998-99	Berlin Capitals	DEL		44	5	10	15	26		—	—	—	—	—
1999-00	HIFK Helsinki	SM-liiga		4	1	1	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
1999-00	Grand Rapids Griffins	IHL		73	2	15	17	47		17	0	2	2	10
2000-01	Rochester Americans	AHL		74	6	20	26	32		4	0	2	2	2
2001-02	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		7	0	2	2	8		—	—	—	—	—
2001-02	Muskegon Fury	UHL		66	8	25	33	38		17	2	6	8	2
NHL Totals				3	1	0	1	2		4	0	0	0	0

Coaching statistics

Note: Head coaching statistics only.

NHL

		Regular season						Post season
Year	Team	G	W	L	OTL	Pts	Finish	Result
2014-15	Edmonton Oilers	51	17	25	9	.422	6th in Pacific Division	Missed Playoffs

Minor leagues

			Regular season						Post season
Year	Team	League	G	W	L	OTL	Pts	Finish	G	W	L	Result
2003-04	Muskegon Fury	UHL	76	47	20	9	103	3rd Western	11	11	0	Won Colonial Cup
2004-05	Muskegon Fury	UHL	80	51	20	9	111	1st Central	17	12	5	Won Colonial Cup
2005-06	Muskegon Fury	UHL	76	51	18	7	109	2nd Central	12	6	6	Lost in Round 2
2010-11	Oklahoma City Barons	AHL	80	40	29	11	91	5th West	6	2	4	Lost in Division Semifinals
2011-12	Oklahoma City Barons	AHL	76	45	22	9	99	1st West	14	8	6	Lost in Conference Finals
2012-13	Oklahoma City Barons	AHL	76	40	25	11	91	3rd South	17	10	7	Lost in Conference Finals
2013-14	Oklahoma City Barons	AHL	76	36	29	11	91	3rd West	3	0	3	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals
AHL Totals			308	161	105	42	658		40	20	20

Transactions

• August 15, 1993 - Signed as a free agent by the Washington Capitals.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]