Owen Liam Nolan (born 12 February 1972) is a Northern Irish-born,

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

player. He was drafted first overall by the

Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...

in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. During his 18-year

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

career, he played for the Nordiques,

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...

, as well as playing a season with the

ZSC Lions The Zürcher Schlittschuh Club Lions (ZSC Lions) are a professional ice hockey team located in Zürich, Switzerland, playing in the National League (NL). Their home arena is the 12,000-seat Swiss Life Arena. The team was founded in 1930 and playe ...

National League A The National League (NL) is a professional ice hockey league in Switzerland and is the top tier of the Swiss league system. Prior to the 2017–18 season, the league was known as National League A. During the 2018–19 season, the league ha ...

. Born in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

, he was raised in

Thorold Thorold is a city in Ontario, Canada, located on the Niagara Escarpment. It is also the seat of the Regional Municipality of Niagara. The Welland Canal passes through the city, featuring lock 7 and the Twin Flight Locks. History The first su ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

and played for Canada internationally. A five-time NHL All-Star, Nolan is widely known as a

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers. When on Of ...

Playing career

Minor Hockey

Nolan grew up in

playing minor hockey for Thorold in the OMHA. After playing A hockey for the Thorold bantam A's Nolan was selected in the second round of the 1988 OHL Priority Selection by the Cornwall Royals.

Quebec Nordiques – San Jose Sharks

Nolan was drafted first overall by the

in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, and played with them until nine games into the 1995–1996 season (this was the first season the team played in

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

as the

), when he was traded to the

for defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh. During his tenure with the Sharks he was named captain, and registered his best career year in 1999–2000, finishing with 84 points, and tied for second in the NHL with 44 goals. That same year, the eighth seeded Sharks took out the first-seeded Blues in seven games with Nolan leading the way with six goals. In game seven, Nolan scored with 10 seconds left in the first period from just past centre ice, beating goaltender

Roman Turek Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

to give the Sharks a 2–0 lead. The goal propelled them to a 3–1, game seven victory and first round upset of the Blues.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Nolan was traded to the

just before the NHL trade deadline in 2003, for players

Alyn McCauley Alyn Daniel McCauley (born May 29, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for ten years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, and the Los Angeles Kings. Prior to his NHL ca ...

and

Brad Boyes Bradley Keith Boyes (born April 17, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, who spent thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of seven different teams. Early life Boyes went to Hazel McCallion Senior P ...

, and Toronto's first-round pick in the

2003 NHL Entry Draft The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was the 41st NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21 and 22, 2003. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. This was ...

. However his performance in Toronto was disappointing, he suffered from a series of injuries and never played at the same level as he had in San Jose. Nolan broke new ground in contract negotiations, having a clause put in that stated if the

2004–05 NHL season The 2004–05 NHL season was the National Hockey League's 88th season of operation. The entire 1,230-game schedule, that was set to begin in October, was officially canceled on February 16, 2005 due to an unresolved lockout that began on Septem ...

was cancelled, then he would gain a player option for an additional year in 2005–06. However, with the NHL CBA in place, this option became a topic of debate. With the new NHL

salary cap In professional sports, a salary cap (or wage cap) is an agreement or rule that places a limit on the amount of money that a team can spend on players' salaries. It exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both. Sever ...

, the Maple Leafs deemed Nolan's salary too high, and refuse to recognize Nolan as under contract. Nolan argued that the option was valid, that he would play, and be paid, for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that he deserved to be paid during the

2004–05 NHL lockout The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play. The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...

due to injury. The Maple Leafs, who deemed Nolan as healthy just after the lock-out, claimed that the injury was incurred off the ice and refused to pay Nolan's desired

US$ The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

12 million. The case went to an arbitrator. This case was settled in late 2006, however, the terms of the agreement by Leafs management and Nolan were not disclosed. In 2005–2006, Nolan took time off for his injured knees to heal, training in San Jose at Sharks Ice. Before the

playoff The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...

push, Nolan indicated that several teams (including San Jose) wanted to sign him, but he decided not to play because he wanted to be at 100%, both because he did not want to become re-injured and because he felt he owed his team that.

2006–2011

In the summer of 2006, during

free agency In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

, Nolan contemplated joining many teams before signing a one-year, US$1 million contract with the

. He scored 16 goals to go with 24 assists during his only year in Phoenix before becoming a free agent once again. On 2 July 2007, Nolan signed with the

. On 22 October 2007, Nolan played his 1000th game. On 30 January 2008, Nolan had his 11th career hat trick and first hat trick since 1999 in a 5–4 victory over former team the San Jose Sharks. He was honoured as the game's first star as his hat trick included a short-handed goal and the game winner, and Nolan also had a decisive victory in a second-period fight with

Mike Grier Michael James Grier (born January 5, 1975) is an American former professional ice hockey winger and current general manager of the San Jose Sharks in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buf ...

. On 13 April 2008, Nolan scored the game-winning goal in game three of the first round of the 2008 NHL Playoffs against his former team San Jose Sharks. It was his first playoff goal since 2002, when he was a member of the Sharks and the 19th playoff goal of his 18-year career. On 6 July 2008, Nolan signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the

. On 10 March 2009, Nolan scored his 400th (and 401st) goal of his NHL career with the Minnesota Wild against the San Jose Sharks. A free agent prior to the 2010–11 season, and with the intention of continuing his NHL career, Nolan was unable to secure an NHL contract. With the beginning of the season underway, in order to garner interest and keep in game condition, Nolan signed a one-month contract with

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

team,

of the

, on 20 October 2010. On 4 August 2011, Nolan signed a tryout contract with the

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...

, returning to the NHL after a year in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. He was then released by the Vancouver Canucks on 25 September 2011, admittedly due to issues with his family.

Retirement

On 7 February 2012, Nolan announced his retirement from professional hockey, at a press conference in San Jose five days before his 40th birthday. He was then immediately chosen for a ceremonial puck drop in a game against the Calgary Flames.

All-Star appearances

Nolan has been chosen as an NHL all-star in 1991–92, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2001–02. He was the runner-up to

Mark Recchi Mark Louis Recchi (; born February 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former assistant coach. Recchi played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, ...

for the All-Star game MVP in 1997, during which he performed a memorable 'called shot', pointing to the top corner of the net on a breakaway and promptly scoring there against

Dominik Hašek Dominik Hašek (, ; born January 29, 1965) is a Czech former ice hockey goaltender who mostly played for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). Widely regarded as one of the best goaltenders of all time, Hašek also played for t ...

to complete a

hat trick A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

Personal life

Nolan is one of six players in NHL history to be born on the island or

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

( Sid Finney, Bobby Kirk,

Jim McFadden James Alexander McFadden (April 15, 1920 – August 22, 2002) was a professional ice hockey forward. He was born in Belfast, United Kingdom and raised in Miami, Manitoba, in the Opawaka district. One of six players born in Ireland to play in the ...

Sammy McManus Andrew Samuel McManus (October 22, 1911 — July 1, 1976) was an Irish-born Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 26 games in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Maroons and the Boston Bruins between 1934 and 1936. Th ...

and Jack Riley are the others). He moved to Thorold, Ontario when he was seven months old and grew up playing baseball and football (soccer); it was not until he was nine that he began skating. He attended

Denis Morris Catholic High School Denis Morris Catholic High School is a Catholic high school located in St. Catharines, Ontario. The school is administered by the Niagara Catholic District School Board. Denis Morris provides educational programs and services for students with ...

in St. Catharines, Ontario. Nolan owns two restaurants called Britannia Arms in San Jose, California. He and his wife Diana have one daughter, Jordan, and one son, Dylan.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honours

Other

Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame honors sports figures who have made a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization is a section 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was created by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in 1979. It is loca ...

inductee (2014)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nolan, Owen 1972 births Calgary Flames players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Switzerland Canadian ice hockey right wingers Canadian people of Northern Ireland descent Colorado Avalanche players Cornwall Royals (OHL) players Halifax Citadels players Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice hockey right wingers from Northern Ireland Living people Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics Minnesota Wild players National Hockey League All-Stars National Hockey League first-overall draft picks National Hockey League first-round draft picks Naturalized citizens of Canada Northern Ireland emigrants to Canada Olympic gold medalists for Canada Olympic ice hockey players of Canada Olympic medalists in ice hockey People from Thorold Phoenix Coyotes players Quebec Nordiques draft picks Quebec Nordiques players San Jose Sharks players Sportspeople from Belfast Toronto Maple Leafs players ZSC Lions players