He played junior hockey for the Humboldt Indians from 1952 to 1955 and then was signed as a free agent by the Boston Bruins. Nicholson split the 1955-56 and 1956-57 seasons between the Hershey Bears and the Bruins, playing 19 games and scoring 1 assist for the NHL team. He then played 1957-58 for the Springfield Indians. From 1958 until his retirement in 1972, Nicholson played in the Western Hockey League.