Owen Nolan

Owen Nolan
Born	(1972-02-12) February 12, 1972 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Minnesota Wild Calgary Flames Phoenix Coyotes Toronto Maple Leafs San Jose Sharks Colorado Avalanche Québec Nordiques
NHL draft	1st overall, 1990 Quebec Nordiques
Playing career	1990–present

Olympic medal record
Men's ice hockey
	2002 Salt Lake City	Ice hockey

Owen Liam Nolan (born February 12, 1972 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is an Irish-Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played in the NHL for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Phoenix Coyotes and Calgary Flames. He was raised in Thorold, Ontario, Canada.

Playing career

Nolan is a typical power forward, and has struggled with injuries throughout his career.

He was drafted first overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, and played with them until 9 games into the 1995–1996 season (this was the first season the team played in Colorado as the "Avalanche"), when he was traded to the San Jose Sharks for defenceman Sandis Ozoliņš. During his tenure with the Sharks he was named captain, and registered his best career year in 1999–00, finishing with 84 points, and tied for second in the NHL with 44 goals. Nolan was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs just before the NHL trade deadline in 2003, for players Alyn McCauley and Brad Boyes, and Toronto's 1st round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. 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 has been chosen as an NHL all-star in 1991–92, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–00, 2001–02. In the 1997 National Hockey League All-Star Game, playing in front of his home crowd in San Jose, he performed a 'Called Shot', pointing to the top corner of the net during a breakaway and promptly scoring there against Dominik Hašek, to complete his hat trick.

Nolan broke new ground in contract negotiations, having a clause put in that stated if the 2004–05 NHL season was canceled, then he would gain a player option for an additional year in 2005–2006. However, with the NHL CBA in place, this option became a topic of debate. With the new NHL salary cap, 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 2004–2005 NHL lockout due to injury. The Maple Leafs, who deemed Nolan as healthy just after the lockout, claimed that the injury was incurred off the ice and refused to pay Nolan's desired US$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 Logitech Ice. Before the playoff 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.

In the summer of 2006, during free agency, Nolan contemplated joining many teams before signing a one year, US $1 million contract with the Phoenix Coyotes.

On July 2, 2007, Nolan signed with the Calgary Flames. He was named alternate captain before the season began. On October 22, 2007, Nolan played his 1000th game.

On January 30, 2008, Nolan had his first hat-trick since 1999. Along with scoring a short handed goal and the game winner, Nolan also had a decisive victory in a second-period scrap with Mike Grier, all against his former team San Jose Sharks. That was his 11th career hat trick. The Flames defeated the Sharks 5–4, and Nolan was named as the games first star.

On April 13, 2008, Nolan scored the game winning goal in game 3 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 his 19th playoff goal of his 18 year career.

On July 6, 2008, Nolan signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Minnesota Wild.

On March 10, 2009, Nolan scored his 400th and 401st goal of his NHL career with the Minnesota Wild against the San Jose Sharks.

Trivia

• Grew up playing baseball and soccer and didn't start skating until his mother bought a pair of second-hand skates when he was 9 years old for $10.
• Moved from Northern Ireland to Thorold, Ontario when he was seven months old.
• One of six players in NHL history to be born in Ireland or Northern Ireland (Sid Finney, Bobby Kirk, Jim McFadden, Sammy McManus and Jack Riley).
• Runner-up to Mark Recchi for the 1997 All-Star MVP Award.
• Was on the cover of EA Sports' NHL 2001 video game.
• Owns two restaurants in San Jose, California.
• Nolan and his wife Diana have one daughter, Jordan and one son, Dylan. [1]
• Nolan is a host of Fish TV, a fishing show in Canada, along with Ron James & Leo Stakos.
• His nickname is "Cowboy" for his rough and tumble attitude and style of play.

Awards

• 1988–89: OHL - Emms Family Award (Rookie of the Year)
• 1989–90: OHL - First All-Star Team
• 1989–90: OHL - Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy (Top Scoring Right Winger)
• 1991–92: Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1995–96: Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1996–97: Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1999–2000: Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2001–02: Olympic Gold Medal (2002-CAN)
• 2001–02: Played in NHL All-Star Game

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1988–89	Cornwall Royals	OHL		62	34	25	59	213		18	5	11	16	41
1989–90	Cornwall Royals	OHL		58	51	60	111	240		6	7	5	12	26
1990–91	Halifax Citadels	AHL		6	4	4	8	11		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		59	3	10	13	109		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		75	42	31	73	183		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		73	36	41	77	185		5	1	0	1	2
1993–94	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		6	2	2	4	8		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		46	30	19	49	46		6	2	3	5	6
1995–96	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		9	4	4	8	9		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	San Jose Sharks	NHL		72	29	32	61	137		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	San Jose Sharks	NHL		72	31	32	63	155		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	San Jose Sharks	NHL		75	14	27	41	144		6	2	2	4	26
1998–99	San Jose Sharks	NHL		78	19	26	45	129		6	1	0	1	6
1999–00	San Jose Sharks	NHL		78	44	40	84	110		10	8	2	10	6
2000–01	San Jose Sharks	NHL		57	24	25	49	75		6	1	1	2	8
2001–02	San Jose Sharks	NHL		75	23	43	66	93		12	3	6	9	8
2002–03	San Jose Sharks	NHL		61	22	20	42	91		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		14	7	5	12	16		7	0	2	2	2
2003–04	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		65	19	29	48	110		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	DNP — Lockout	NHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Did not play	—		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—
2006–07	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		76	16	24	40	56		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Calgary Flames	NHL		77	16	16	32	71		7	3	2	5	2
2008–09	Minnesota Wild	NHL		59	25	20	45	26		—	—	—	—	—
OHL totals				120	85	85	170	453		24	12	16	28	67
AHL totals				6	4	4	8	11		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				1127	406	446	852	1753		65	21	19	40	66

See also

• Captain (ice hockey)
• List of NHL players with 1000 games played

External links

• Owen Nolan career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database