Nighbor was the consummate two-way player, a high-scoring center who was tenacious defensively. Known for his effortless skating and mastery of the poke check, Nighbor helped the Ottawa Senators to Stanley Cup championships in 1920, 1921, 1923 and 1927.

A 1947 inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Nighbor was the first recipient of the Hart Trophy as the NHLís most valuable player in 1924. One year later, he became the first player to win the Lady Bing Trophy for skillful and gentlemanly play; the award was presented to him by Lady Bing herself. He won the trophy again the following season.

Born Jan. 23, 1893, in Pembroke, Ontario, Nighborís path to stardom began in 1911 when he followed a friend onto a senior club in Port Arthur. The team kept Nighbor on the bench until a rash of injuries pressed him into service. He scored six goals in his first game.

He signed on with the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association, predecessor to the NHL, in 1912 as a 19-year-old rookie and scored 25 goals in 17 games. Nighbor then headed west and to play with the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, scoring 33 goals in 28 games during two seasons in the PCHA. He was also a key player on the 1915 team that won the Stanley Cup, scoring four goals and finishing with 10 points in Vancouverís three-game sweep of the best-of-5 series against the Senators of the NHA.

Nighbor returned east for the 1915-16 season and joined the Senators team he helped defeat. The 5-foot-9, 160-pound center had his best seasons in Ottawa, where he was tied with Joe Malone of the Quebec Bulldogs for the NHA lead in goals with 41 in 19 games in 1916-17.

The Senators joined the NHL in for the 1917-18 season, and Nighbor continued to excel in the new league. His best offensive season came in 1919-20, when he finished with NHL career highs in goals (26), assists (16) and points (42) in 23 games.

He saved some of his best performances for the Stanley Cup Final. Nighbor scored six goals for Ottawa in its Cup Final win against the Seattle Metropolitans in 1920, and his checking skills proved vital to helping Ottawa repeat as champion in 1921 by defeating his former Millionaires team.

Nighbor retired after the 1929-30 season, finishing with 239 points (139 goals, 100 assists) in 349 NHL games with the Senators and Toronto St. Patricks, as well as 100 points (85 goals, 15 assists) in 61 games in the NHA and 45 points (33 goals, 12 assists) in 28 PCHA games.

After retiring, Nighbor went on to coach the Buffalo and London of the International Hockey League and the New York Rovers of the Eastern Hockey League.

He died April 13, 1966, in Pembroke, Ontario, at age 73.