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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., 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." 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Jodie Meeks Jersey . -- Brendan Leipsic had two goals and an assist and Nicolas Petan extended his point streak to 11 games as the Portland Winterhawks slipped past the Red Deer Rebels 5-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. MIAMI -- When Henderson Alvarez closed out his shutout with a strikeout, the right-hander spun on the mound and threw a celebratory uppercut that landed on his left shoulder. That was as hard as he was hit all night. Alvarez pitched a six-hitter for his second shutout this season, and the Miami Marlins won again at home, beating the New York Mets 3-0 Tuesday night. Relying mostly on his sinker and changeup, Alvarez struck out seven, walked none and threw 111 pitches. "I just concentrated on keeping my breaking ball down and letting the batter swing," he said. Miami improved to a major league-best 16-5 at Marlins Park, and is 7-1 on the current homestand with one game left. The Marlins clinched the series and have won seven of their eight home series, but theyre 2-10 on the road. "Were playing with a lot of confidence right now," manager Mike Redmond said. "Hopefully we can finish it off Wednesday and go on the road and start winning some games out of our suitcase. Thats big right now in our development process." Alvarez (2-2) completed the victory by striking out Curtis Granderson on three pitches with a runner on third. He retired the side in order only three times but was helped by two double plays and a fine play by third baseman Casey McGehee, who threw out a batter from foul territory. Alvarezs quick tempo helped the defence, McGehee said. "When stuff is happening and you dont get flatfooted out there, it makes it easier," McGehee said. "You feel like youre in the flow of the game." The victory took only 2:08. "Nice to be able to get a little extra sleep for the 12:40 game Wednesday," Redmond said. Alvarezs only other victory this year was a complete-game 7-0 victory over Seattle on April 19 -- at home, of course. He now has four career shutouts, including a no-hitter against Detroit on the final day of last season. He has the most shutouts of any active pitcher with 65 career starts or less. "When you see nights like this, you realize this guy has a chance to be really, really good," Redmond said. "It just comes down to consistency for him..dddddddddddd." The Mets, who went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, were shut out for the third time. "Youve got to get the big hit, as they got," manager Terry Collins said. "We didnt get any." McGehee had a pair of RBI singles and is now batting .441 with runners in scoring position. Hitting mostly cleanup, he has no homers but 23 RBIs. Bartolo Colon (2-5) allowed three runs in seven innings. He also went 0 for 2, striking out both times, leaving Mets pitchers at 0 for 56 this season with 30 strikeouts. Alvarez allowed a leadoff double in the fourth but retired the next three batters, including David Wright and Granderson on lineouts. Wright grounded out to end the sixth with runners at second and third. "When Alvarez has his A stuff like tonight, and you have a good at-bat and hit a ball hard, its pretty frustrating," Wright said, "because you know theres not going to be too many opportunities when hes throwing the ball like he is." The Marlins won with seven hits. NL home run leader Giancarlo Stanton missed one by inches when he hit an RBI double that caromed off the wall near the 418-foot sign in centre field in the first inning. He scored on a single by McGehee. The Marlins put together three consecutive two-out singles in the fifth, the last by McGehee to make it 3-0. "These guys are red hot here," Collins said. "Were going to get hot, too." NOTES: The Marlins released INF Greg Dobbs. ... Marlins INF Rafael Furcal, who has endured repeated setbacks trying to recover from hamstring and groin injuries, returned to extended spring training in Jupiter, and theres no timetable for his next rehabilitation assignment. ... The retractable roof was open on a 79-degree night. ... Marlins LF Christian Yelich visited a class of sixth-graders Tuesday and took questions. "My favourite one was, Do your parents still love you now that youre in the big leagues?" Yelich said. ... Mets RHP Zack Wheeler (1-3, 5.13) is scheduled to pitch against RHP Tom Koehler (3-2, 2.41) in the series finale Wednesday afternoon. ' ' '