Claude Noël (born October 31, 1955) is a Canadian professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
former player and coach. He most recently worked as a
scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
** Scouts BSA, sect ...
with the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL). Noël has close to 30 years experience coaching with his most recent coaching position being head coach of the
Vancouver Giants of the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
in the
2014–15 season. He played 7 games in the NHL with the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
during the
1979–80 season. The rest of his playing career, which lasted from 1976 to 1988, was mainly spent in the minor leagues.
Playing career
Noël was undrafted after playing 1974–75 with the Kitchener Rangers, but he was signed as a professional with the
Buffalo Norsemen of the
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 50th season of operation in 2024–25. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...
(NAHL), starting a long minor league playing career. The next season, he moved up to the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) with the
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The Bears have played in the American Hockey League (AHL) since the 1938–39 season, making it the longest continuously operating member club of the league still ...
. He stayed with the Bears until 1981, earning one call-up to the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
in the 1979–80 season of seven games. After Hershey he played with several teams in the International Hockey League:
Toledo Goaldiggers,
Kalamazoo Wings and
Milwaukee Admirals before retiring in 1988. While with the Buffalo Norsemen, his team ended up involved in what is now considered to be an infamous pre game brawl with the Johnstown Jets. The events of this brawl and subsequent forfeited game would form the basis of a memorable scene between the Charleston Chiefs and the Peterboro Patriots in the cult film Slap Shot. Claude Noel confirmed that he was on the ice for that event during a press conference on November 16, 2011.
Coaching career
After his professional playing career, Noël moved into coaching. He began in the
East Coast Hockey League, spending one season as head coach of the
Roanoke Valley Rebels then two seasons as head coach of the
Dayton Bombers. Noël moved to the
International Hockey League's
Kalamazoo Wings (later the renamed the
Michigan K-Wings), spending two seasons as assistant coach and two seasons as head coach. From there, Noël moved on to take an assistant coaching job with the
Milwaukee Admirals also of the IHL and later the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
. After three seasons in Milwaukee, Noël went back to the ECHL for one season as the head coach of the
Toledo Storm.
In 2003, Noël returned to the Admirals as head coach. In his first season, the Admirals won the
Calder Cup. Noël was awarded the Louis A. Pieri Memorial Award as Coach of the Year. Noël spent three more seasons in Milwaukee, leading the team to winning record each season.
In 2007, Noël was hired by
Ken Hitchcock and the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
as an assistant coach. On February 3, 2010, Noël was named interim head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, after Ken Hitchcock was relieved of his coaching duties. The team went 10–8–6 under Noël, but his contract was not renewed at the end of the season.
On June 18, 2010, Noël was offered the head coaching position for the Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate, the
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre.
The fran ...
. Noël was officially introduced to the media as the new head coach of the Manitoba Moose on June 21, 2010. Coincidentally, Columbus hired
Scott Arniel, Manitoba's former coach, for the head coach job in
Columbus.
The return of the NHL to Winnipeg forced the Moose to relocate in June 2011.
True North Sports and Entertainment, owners of both the new Winnipeg NHL team and the Moose, received permission from the Canucks to interview Noël for their vacant head coaching job. On June 24, Noël was named the head coach of the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
.
He was fired on January 12, 2014 and replaced by former
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
and
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. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
head coach
Paul Maurice. On November 30, 2014, Noël was announced as the head coach of the
WHL Vancouver Giants. He coached the team for the remainder of the season before a mutual parting of ways at the season's conclusion.
On August 4, 2015, Noël was named as a pro scout of the NHL
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
.
Personal
Born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Noël was raised in
McGarry and
North Bay. He and his wife Lynda have two sons, Chris and Sheldon.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
NHL coaching record
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Noel, Claude
1955 births
Living people
Buffalo Norsemen players
Canadian ice hockey coaches
Canadian ice hockey forwards
Columbus Blue Jackets coaches
ECHL coaches
Franco-Ontarian people
Hershey Bears players
Ice hockey people from Kirkland Lake
Kalamazoo Wings (1974–2000) players
Kitchener Rangers players
Manitoba Moose coaches
Milwaukee Admirals coaches
New Jersey Devils scouts
North Bay Centennials coaches
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Washington Capitals players
Winnipeg Jets coaches
Vancouver Giants coaches
20th-century Canadian sportsmen