Owen Nolan

1. Overview

Owen Liam Nolan (born 12 February 1972) is a Northern Irish-born Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was drafted first overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. During his 18-year NHL career, he played for the Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames, and Minnesota Wild. Nolan also spent a season with the ZSC Lions of National League A in Switzerland. A five-time NHL All-Star, Nolan is widely recognized as a power forward. He achieved significant international success, winning a gold medal with the Canadian national team at the 1997 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships and the 2002 Winter Olympics.

2. Early life and background

Owen Nolan's early life was marked by his family's relocation from Northern Ireland to Canada and his introduction to ice hockey.

2.1. Birth and upbringing

Nolan was born on 12 February 1972, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His Catholic family resided on the Falls Road. When Nolan was seven months old, his family emigrated from Northern Ireland to Thorold, Ontario, Canada, to escape religious persecution during the Troubles. Growing up in Thorold, Nolan initially played baseball and soccer. He did not begin skating until he was nine years old.

2.2. Education

Nolan attended Denis Morris Catholic High School in St. Catharines, Ontario.

3. Playing career

Owen Nolan's professional ice hockey career spanned nearly two decades, predominantly in the NHL, where he established himself as a prominent power forward.

3.1. Junior career

Nolan began his minor ice hockey career playing for the Thorold Black Hawks in the OMHA. Following his time with the Thorold bantam A's, Nolan was selected in the second round of the 1988 OHL Priority Selection by the Cornwall Royals. He played for the Royals in the OHL from the 1988-89 season through the 1989-90 season.

3.2. NHL career

Nolan's extensive NHL career saw him play for multiple franchises, showcasing his skills as a top-tier power forward.

3.2.1. Quebec Nordiques / Colorado Avalanche

Owen Nolan was selected as the first overall pick by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. His rookie season in 1990-91 was challenging, as he recorded only 13 points in 59 games at the age of 18. However, he had a breakout season in 1991-92, tallying 42 goals and 73 points in 75 games. He continued to play for the Nordiques until the franchise relocated to Denver and was rebranded as the Colorado Avalanche. Nolan began the 1995-96 season with the Avalanche, scoring four goals and four assists in nine games before being traded.

3.2.2. San Jose Sharks

On 26 October 1995, Nolan was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Sandis Ozoliņš. His tenure with the Sharks marked his peak performance years, lasting from 1995 to 2003. He was named captain of the team and recorded his best career year in 1999-2000, finishing with 84 points and tying for second in the NHL with 44 goals. During the 2000 Stanley Cup playoffs, the eighth-seeded Sharks achieved a significant upset, defeating the first-seeded St. Louis Blues in seven games. Nolan was a key player in this series, leading the team with six goals. In Game 7 of that series, Nolan scored a memorable goal from just past center ice with 10 seconds left in the first period, beating goaltender Roman Turek to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead. This goal contributed to their 3-1 victory in Game 7 and the first-round upset of the Blues.

3.2.3. Toronto Maple Leafs

Nolan was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on 5 March 2003, just before the NHL trade deadline. The Sharks received players Alyn McCauley and Brad Boyes, along with Toronto's first-round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. His performance in Toronto was hampered by a series of injuries, and he never consistently played at the high level he had achieved in San Jose.

A notable contract dispute arose during his time with the Maple Leafs. Nolan had a clause in his contract stating that if the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled, he would have a player option for an additional year in the 2005-06. With the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement and the implementation of a salary cap, the Maple Leafs considered Nolan's salary too high and refused to recognize his contract option. Nolan argued that the option was valid and that he should be paid, including during the 2004-05 NHL lockout due to injury. The Maple Leafs countered that Nolan was healthy after the lockout and claimed his injury was incurred off-ice, refusing to pay the 12.00 M USD he sought. The dispute proceeded to an arbitrator and was eventually settled in 2006, though the terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Nolan took time off during the 2005-06 to allow his injured knees to heal, training in San Jose. Despite interest from several teams, including the Sharks, he chose not to play that season, stating he wanted to be at 100 percent to avoid re-injury and to fully commit to any team he joined.

3.2.4. Later NHL career

In August 2006, during free agency, Nolan signed a one-year, 1.00 M USD contract with the Phoenix Coyotes. In his single season with the Coyotes, he recorded 16 goals and 24 assists before becoming a free agent again.

On 2 July 2007, Nolan signed with the Calgary Flames. On 22 October of that year, he played his 1,000th NHL game. On 30 January 2008, Nolan achieved his 11th career hat trick and his first since 1999, in a 5-4 victory over his former team, the San Jose Sharks. This hat trick included a short-handed goal and the game-winner, and he also won a decisive fight against Mike Grier in the second period, earning him the honor of the game's first star. On 13 April, Nolan scored the game-winning goal in Game 3 of the first-round series of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs against the San Jose Sharks. This was his first playoff goal since 2002 and the 19th of his 18-year career.

On 6 July 2008, Nolan signed a two-year, 5.50 M USD contract with the Minnesota Wild. On 10 March 2009, Nolan scored his 400th and 401st career NHL goals with the Wild against the San Jose Sharks.

3.3. European league career

As a free agent before the 2010-11 season, Nolan intended to continue his NHL career but was unable to secure a contract. To maintain game condition and attract interest, he signed a one-month contract with the Swiss team, ZSC Lions of the National League A, on 21 October 2010. He later extended his contract with the ZSC Lions until 23 January 2011. After his time in Switzerland, Nolan signed a tryout contract with the Vancouver Canucks on 4 August 2011, hoping to return to the NHL. However, he was released by the Canucks on 25 September 2011, reportedly due to family issues.

3.4. International career

Owen Nolan represented Canada in international competitions, contributing to two significant gold medal victories. He participated in the 1997 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships where Canada won the gold medal. He was also selected to the Canadian national team for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he played a role in Canada's historic gold medal win.

3.5. Retirement

On 7 February 2012, Owen Nolan officially announced his retirement from professional ice hockey at a press conference in San Jose, just five days before his 40th birthday. The following day, on 8 February, he was honored with a ceremonial puck drop at a game against the Calgary Flames.

3.6. All-Star selections and notable moments

Nolan was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game five times: in 1992, 1996, 1997, 2000, and 2002. At the 1997 All-Star Game, he was the runner-up for the MVP award, which was won by Mark Recchi. During this game, Nolan performed a memorable 'called shot' during a breakaway, pointing to the top corner of the net and then scoring there against goaltender Dominik Hašek to complete a hat trick.

4. Play style and evaluation

Owen Nolan was widely known for his distinctive playing style as a power forward. This role typically involves a combination of scoring ability, physical play, and a strong presence in front of the net. His career highlights, including his high goal totals and physical confrontations on the ice, underscore his effectiveness in this demanding position.

5. Personal life

Beyond his professional hockey career, Owen Nolan has a notable family background and has pursued business ventures in his post-retirement life.

5.1. Family and immigration background

Owen Nolan is one of only six players in NHL history to be born on the island of Ireland. His Catholic family, originally from the Falls Road in Belfast, moved to Thorold, Ontario, Canada, when he was seven months old. This relocation was a direct response to the religious persecution faced by Catholics during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1987-88	Thorold Black Hawks	Bantam	28	53	32	85	24	-	-	-	-	-
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	-	-	-	-	-
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	-	-	-	-	-
2009-10	Minnesota Wild	NHL	73	16	17	33	40	-	-	-	-	-
2010-11	ZSC Lions	NLA	24	7	19	26	53	5	2	2	4	2
NHL totals			1,200	422	463	885	1,793	65	21	18	39	66

6.2. International

Year	Team	Event	Result	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1997	Canada	WC	Gold	10	4	3	7	31
2002	Canada	OG	Gold	6	0	3	3	2
Senior totals				16	4	6	10	33

7. Awards and honours

Award	Year
OHL
Emms Family Award	1989
First All-Star Team	1990
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy	1990
NHL
All-Star Game	1992, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002
Other
Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame inductee	2014