Ted Nolan
Encyclopedia
Theodore John Nolan is currently the Head Coach of Latvia men's national ice hockey team. Ted is well known for being the former Head Coach of the Buffalo Sabres
and New York Islanders
.
Nolan, a retired Canadian professional
hockey
left winger
, played 3 seasons in the National Hockey League
for the Detroit Red Wings
and Pittsburgh Penguins
. He also coached for 2 seasons in the National Hockey League
for the Buffalo Sabres
, after serving as assistant coach for one season with the Hartford Whalers
.
Nolan and his wife Sandra are the parents of Brandon Nolan
, a Vancouver Canucks
draft pick who last played for the AHL
's Albany River Rats
, and Jordan Nolan
, a draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings
who currently plays with the AHL
's Manchester Monarchs
.
Ted is very active in his foundation, the Ted Nolan Foundation “Through the philosophy of healthy lifestyle, the Ted Nolan Foundation is committed to the healing process to renew and revitalize the mind, body and spirit of our young people. We will explore to help us train a new cadre of Aboriginal leaders today, to take their rightful place in Canadian society tomorrow. We will help develop programs at the community level for First Nations youth in communities no matter how isolated or poverty stricken. We will raise scholarship funds for First Nation women wishing to complete their education.”
The Ted Nolan Foundation has recently partnered with the Tim Hortons Children's Foundation. As part of a five-year partnership between the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation and the Ted Nolan Foundation, each year 50 more aboriginal kids will go to the camp for a leadership program catering to aboriginal youth.
for the Ontario Hockey Association
's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
, the Kansas City Red Wings
of the Central Hockey League, and the Adirondack Red Wings
, Rochester Americans
and Baltimore Skipjacks
of the American Hockey League
. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins
and the Detroit Red Wings
of the National Hockey League
from early to mid-1980s.
of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
in 1988, as a mid-season replacement and coached there until the end of the 1994 season. Nolan led the Greyhounds to the three consecutive Memorial Cup
tournament berths, winning the Canadian national junior championship in 1993.
for one season before accepting the position of head coach of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres where he had his greatest success. In his second season in Buffalo, he led the team to a strong regular season, culminating in the Northeast Division title. He was rewarded with the Jack Adams Award
as the league's top coach.
However his relationships with superstar
goaltender
Dominik Hašek
and general manager John Muckler
were strained. The regular season success was all overshadowed by what took place during the playoffs. Tensions between Nolan and Hašek had been high for most of the season, however, after being scored upon in game three of the first-round against the Ottawa Senators
, Hašek left the game, forcing backup Steve Shields
to step in. Hašek claimed he felt his knee pop, and the team doctor pronounced him day-to-day. Buffalo News columnist Jim Kelley
wrote a column that night for the next day's newspaper that detailed the day's events, which irked Hašek. After the Senators won game five, Hašek came out of the Sabres' training room and physically attacked Kelley, tearing his shirt. Despite issuing an apology, things went downhill afterwards. Shields starred as the Sabres rallied to win the series against Ottawa. But before the next series against the Philadelphia Flyers
, the NHL announced that Hasek had been suspended for three games for the altercation with Kelley. Hasek was set to return in game four with the team down by three games in the series, but after the pregame skate Hasek told the Sabres' coaching staff he felt a twinge in his knee and left the ice. Shields turned in another season-saving performance as Buffalo staved off the almost inevitable sweeping elimination with a win. Again before the fifth game, Hašek declared himself unfit to play and Buffalo lost 6–3, losing the series in five games.
Hašek, who sided with Muckler, stated in an interview during 1997 NHL Awards Ceremony that "it would be better for me if he (Nolan) did not return." Muckler, fresh off of being voted the NHL's 1996–97 Executive of the Year, was the first casualty of this toxic situation and was fired prior to the 1997–98 season. Darcy Regier
, Muckler's replacement as GM, was given the option to choose his own coach. Rather than fire Nolan, whose two-year contract had just expired, Regier offered him a one-year extension, reportedly for $500,000. After such a successful 1997 season working with a "blue collar" team full of grinders and with only one star, Hasek, Nolan found the offer insulting and rejected it.http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=bbc99035-baab-4b28-ba0f-b116e24d0805&k=88766 Regier then pulled the contract off the table and did not offer another one, ending Nolan's tenure as Sabres coach.
(head coach) and in 1998 by the New York Islanders
(assistant coach). Nolan declined both offers. It is said Nolan was not offered an NHL coaching job again until May 2006, a span of eight years, and speculation as to why ranged from outright racism
to a perceived fear that Nolan is a "GM Killer" based on his acrimonious working relationship with former boss Muckler.
In 2003, Nolan was in talks to become the coach for the Toronto Toros
of the new World Hockey Association
, but it never got past talks, and the new WHA never formed. On 26 April 2005, he was hired as the coach and director of hockey operations for the Moncton Wildcats
of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
, who would host the 2006 Memorial Cup
.
On December 16, 2005, Nolan was the victim of racial
harassment during a Wildcats road game against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens
. Fans in the stands shouted racial slurs at him and directed gestures such as the "tomahawk chop" and shooting a bow and arrow towards him as he stood behind the Moncton bench. Fans continued to taunt Nolan outside the arena after the game as he boarded the team bus with his players. The incident, he said later, left him shaking with anger and humiliation. The fans' behavior was condemned both by the QMJHL commissioner and Saguenéens management, the latter of which issued formal apology to Nolan. As a result of the events that transpired in Chicoutimi
, he referred to the Saguenay Region
as being the "Alabama
" of the QMJHL
. After, he also had criticized the Gatineau Olympiques
organisation for putting the 'Tomahawk Chop' song, which he said was racist. Because of the incident, the QMJHL launched a new anti-discrimination policy that covers everyone involved with the circuit, from team and league officials, to players and fans.http://tsn.ca/chl/news_story/?ID=188292&hubname=
On December 25, 2005, it was reported that Nolan expressed interest in leaving Moncton to fill the New Jersey Devils coaching vacancy left by Larry Robinson
. Despite this, the Devils never publicly mentioned Nolan as a potential replacement.
Nolan's Wildcats reached the Memorial Cup final only to lose to the Quebec Remparts
coached by Patrick Roy
on May 28, 2006.
Nolan travels widely during the summer, attending hockey camps in Northern Canada and working to inspire young native players to get an education and to pursue their dreams. Despite his recent hiring as head coach of the Isles, he still found time to attend a hockey camp in Whitehorse, Yukon
in mid-July 2006.
fired head coach Steve Stirling
in January 2006, team owner Charles Wang
reportedly called Nolan to ask him to take over the team. Nolan said that he felt a sense of responsibility toward Moncton and would not leave them mid-season.
On June 8, 2006, Wang dismissed interim coach Brad Shaw and announced the hiring of Nolan as the new head coach. New York Post
hockey columnist Larry Brooks quickly criticized Wang for hiring Nolan at the same time that he hired a new general manager, Neil Smith, rather than allow Smith to hire a coach who would report to him. On July 18, Smith was fired as general manager and Garth Snow
was named as his replacement.
In his first season with the Islanders in 2006–07, he led the team to a 92 point season and its first playoff berth since 2003–04. On April 20, 2007, Ted Nolan's 8th seeded Islanders fell in five games to his former team, the top-seeded Buffalo Sabres
.
In his second season, Nolan led the Islanders to a record of 35–38–9 for 79 points. On November 3, 2007, Al Arbour
returned at the request of Nolan, to coach his 1,500th game for the Islanders in a 3–2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins
.
On July 14, 2008, Newsday
reported that Ted Nolan was dismissed as Islanders coach by Islanders GM Garth Snow
.
to become their Vice President of Hockey Operations. He remained with the team through 2011, when the team was sold to Terrence Pegula
and the Americans' front office was integrated into that of the Sabres'.
announced that Nolan has agreed to become the Head Coach of Latvia men's national ice hockey team.
American Hockey League - Regular Season
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
and New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Nolan, a retired Canadian professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
left winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
, played 3 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. He also coached for 2 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, after serving as assistant coach for one season with the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
.
Nolan and his wife Sandra are the parents of Brandon Nolan
Brandon Nolan
Brandon Nolan is a retired ice hockey centre, who last played for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He is the son of former NHL player and NHL coach Ted Nolan.-Playing career:...
, a Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
draft pick who last played for the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's Albany River Rats
Albany River Rats
The Albany River Rats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.- Founding to 2010 :...
, and Jordan Nolan
Jordan Nolan
Jordan Nolan is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Manchester Monarchs in the American Hockey League...
, a draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
who currently plays with the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's Manchester Monarchs
Manchester Monarchs
The Manchester Monarchs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Manchester, New Hampshire at the Verizon Wireless Arena. They have been the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings since 2001.-History:...
.
Ted is very active in his foundation, the Ted Nolan Foundation “Through the philosophy of healthy lifestyle, the Ted Nolan Foundation is committed to the healing process to renew and revitalize the mind, body and spirit of our young people. We will explore to help us train a new cadre of Aboriginal leaders today, to take their rightful place in Canadian society tomorrow. We will help develop programs at the community level for First Nations youth in communities no matter how isolated or poverty stricken. We will raise scholarship funds for First Nation women wishing to complete their education.”
The Ted Nolan Foundation has recently partnered with the Tim Hortons Children's Foundation. As part of a five-year partnership between the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation and the Ted Nolan Foundation, each year 50 more aboriginal kids will go to the camp for a leadership program catering to aboriginal youth.
Playing career
As a player, he played left-wingWinger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
for the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey...
, the Kansas City Red Wings
Kansas City Red Wings
The Kansas City Red Wings were a professional hockey team that operated in the Central Hockey League for two season, 1977–78 and 1978-79. They were the top farm team of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.-1977-78 season:...
of the Central Hockey League, and the Adirondack Red Wings
Adirondack Red Wings
The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
, Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
and Baltimore Skipjacks
Baltimore Skipjacks
The Baltimore Skipjacks were a minor professional ice hockey team in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League and the American Hockey League. They played in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Baltimore Arena.-History:...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
and the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
from early to mid-1980s.
Ontario Hockey League
Nolan became head coachHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey...
in 1988, as a mid-season replacement and coached there until the end of the 1994 season. Nolan led the Greyhounds to the three consecutive Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
tournament berths, winning the Canadian national junior championship in 1993.
Buffalo Sabres, 1995–1997
Nolan was hired before the 1994–95 NHL season as an assistant coach by the Hartford WhalersHartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
for one season before accepting the position of head coach of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres where he had his greatest success. In his second season in Buffalo, he led the team to a strong regular season, culminating in the Northeast Division title. He was rewarded with the Jack Adams Award
Jack Adams Award
The Jack Adams Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success." It has been awarded 37 times to 32 different coaches. The winner is selected by a poll of the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association at the end of the...
as the league's top coach.
However his relationships with superstar
Superstar
A superstar is a widely acclaimed celebrity.Superstar or superstars may also refer to:-People:* Warhol Superstar, associates of Andy Warhol* WWE Superstar, the term used to refer to entertainers from the WWE...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek is a Czech ice hockey goaltender who is currently with HC Spartak Moscow of the KHL.In his 16-season National Hockey League career, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and the Ottawa Senators. During his years in Buffalo, he became one of the...
and general manager John Muckler
John Muckler
John Muckler is a professional hockey coach and executive, most recently serving as the general manager of the Ottawa Senators of the NHL. Muckler has over 50 years of professional hockey experience as a part owner, general manager, director of player personnel, director of hockey operations, head...
were strained. The regular season success was all overshadowed by what took place during the playoffs. Tensions between Nolan and Hašek had been high for most of the season, however, after being scored upon in game three of the first-round against the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Hašek left the game, forcing backup Steve Shields
Steve Shields (hockey player)
Steven Charles Shields is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:Shields grew up in North Bay, Ontario playing minor hockey until Bantam with the local Athletics AA program of the NOHA. At age 16, Shields moved to southern Ontario to play for the St. Marys Lincolns...
to step in. Hašek claimed he felt his knee pop, and the team doctor pronounced him day-to-day. Buffalo News columnist Jim Kelley
Jim Kelley
James Thomas "Jim" Kelley, Jr. was a professional sports news columnist whose 30-year career focused primarily on the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League, and the greater Buffalo area...
wrote a column that night for the next day's newspaper that detailed the day's events, which irked Hašek. After the Senators won game five, Hašek came out of the Sabres' training room and physically attacked Kelley, tearing his shirt. Despite issuing an apology, things went downhill afterwards. Shields starred as the Sabres rallied to win the series against Ottawa. But before the next series against the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, the NHL announced that Hasek had been suspended for three games for the altercation with Kelley. Hasek was set to return in game four with the team down by three games in the series, but after the pregame skate Hasek told the Sabres' coaching staff he felt a twinge in his knee and left the ice. Shields turned in another season-saving performance as Buffalo staved off the almost inevitable sweeping elimination with a win. Again before the fifth game, Hašek declared himself unfit to play and Buffalo lost 6–3, losing the series in five games.
Hašek, who sided with Muckler, stated in an interview during 1997 NHL Awards Ceremony that "it would be better for me if he (Nolan) did not return." Muckler, fresh off of being voted the NHL's 1996–97 Executive of the Year, was the first casualty of this toxic situation and was fired prior to the 1997–98 season. Darcy Regier
Darcy Regier
Darcy John Regier is the current general manager of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He also played 26 games in the NHL for the Cleveland Barons and New York Islanders as a defenceman...
, Muckler's replacement as GM, was given the option to choose his own coach. Rather than fire Nolan, whose two-year contract had just expired, Regier offered him a one-year extension, reportedly for $500,000. After such a successful 1997 season working with a "blue collar" team full of grinders and with only one star, Hasek, Nolan found the offer insulting and rejected it.http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=bbc99035-baab-4b28-ba0f-b116e24d0805&k=88766 Regier then pulled the contract off the table and did not offer another one, ending Nolan's tenure as Sabres coach.
Post-Sabres career
Following his departure from Buffalo, Nolan was offered NHL coaching jobs in 1997 by the Tampa Bay LightningTampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
(head coach) and in 1998 by the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(assistant coach). Nolan declined both offers. It is said Nolan was not offered an NHL coaching job again until May 2006, a span of eight years, and speculation as to why ranged from outright racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
to a perceived fear that Nolan is a "GM Killer" based on his acrimonious working relationship with former boss Muckler.
In 2003, Nolan was in talks to become the coach for the Toronto Toros
Toronto Toros
The Toronto Toros were an ice hockey team based in Toronto that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973 to 1976.The franchise was awarded to Doug Michel in 1971 to play in the WHA's inaugural 1972–73 season...
of the new World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association (proposed)
The World Hockey Association was a proposed professional hockey league intended to compete with the established National Hockey League during the 2004–05 NHL lockout...
, but it never got past talks, and the new WHA never formed. On 26 April 2005, he was hired as the coach and director of hockey operations for the Moncton Wildcats
Moncton Wildcats
The Moncton Wildcats are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They play at the Moncton Coliseum in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada....
of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
, who would host the 2006 Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
.
On December 16, 2005, Nolan was the victim of racial
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
harassment during a Wildcats road game against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Chicoutimi Saguenéens
The Chicoutimi Saguenéens are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based out of Chicoutimi, Quebec . The team plays its home games at the Centre Georges-Vézina.-History:...
. Fans in the stands shouted racial slurs at him and directed gestures such as the "tomahawk chop" and shooting a bow and arrow towards him as he stood behind the Moncton bench. Fans continued to taunt Nolan outside the arena after the game as he boarded the team bus with his players. The incident, he said later, left him shaking with anger and humiliation. The fans' behavior was condemned both by the QMJHL commissioner and Saguenéens management, the latter of which issued formal apology to Nolan. As a result of the events that transpired in Chicoutimi
Chicoutimi, Quebec
Chicoutimi is one of the three boroughs of Saguenay, Quebec, Canada, and was a separate city in its own right until 2002. Chicoutimi had a population of 59,764 in the Canada 2001 Census, the last census in which Chicoutimi was counted as a separate city....
, he referred to the Saguenay Region
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean is a region in Quebec, Canada. It contains the Saguenay Fjord, the estuary of the Saguenay River, stretching through much of the region...
as being the "Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
" of the QMJHL
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
. After, he also had criticized the Gatineau Olympiques
Gatineau Olympiques
The Gatineau Olympiques are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League out of Gatineau, Quebec. The Olympiques play out of the Robert Guertin Centre. The club, then known as the Hull Festivals, was granted membership in the QMJHL in 1973. The Olympiques have...
organisation for putting the 'Tomahawk Chop' song, which he said was racist. Because of the incident, the QMJHL launched a new anti-discrimination policy that covers everyone involved with the circuit, from team and league officials, to players and fans.http://tsn.ca/chl/news_story/?ID=188292&hubname=
On December 25, 2005, it was reported that Nolan expressed interest in leaving Moncton to fill the New Jersey Devils coaching vacancy left by Larry Robinson
Larry Robinson
Larry Clark Robinson is a former ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League. Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and is currently the defensive coach for the New Jersey Devils...
. Despite this, the Devils never publicly mentioned Nolan as a potential replacement.
Nolan's Wildcats reached the Memorial Cup final only to lose to the Quebec Remparts
Québec Remparts
There have been two junior ice hockey franchises known as the Quebec Remparts that played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The first franchise played from 1969 to 1985; the current franchise has played since 1997. Both franchises were based out of Quebec City, Quebec...
coached by Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
on May 28, 2006.
Nolan travels widely during the summer, attending hockey camps in Northern Canada and working to inspire young native players to get an education and to pursue their dreams. Despite his recent hiring as head coach of the Isles, he still found time to attend a hockey camp in Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
in mid-July 2006.
New York Islanders, 2006–2008
When the New York IslandersNew York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
fired head coach Steve Stirling
Steve Stirling
Steve Stirling is an assistant coach of the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League. He is the former head coach of the American Hockey League's Norfolk Admirals, the Springfield Falcons, and the National Hockey League's New York Islanders...
in January 2006, team owner Charles Wang
Charles Wang
Charles B. Wang is the co-founder of Computer Associates International, Inc. and owner of the New York Islanders ice hockey team and their AHL affiliates, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers....
reportedly called Nolan to ask him to take over the team. Nolan said that he felt a sense of responsibility toward Moncton and would not leave them mid-season.
On June 8, 2006, Wang dismissed interim coach Brad Shaw and announced the hiring of Nolan as the new head coach. New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
hockey columnist Larry Brooks quickly criticized Wang for hiring Nolan at the same time that he hired a new general manager, Neil Smith, rather than allow Smith to hire a coach who would report to him. On July 18, Smith was fired as general manager and Garth Snow
Garth Snow
Garth E. Snow is an American retired professional ice hockey goaltender and is currently the general manager for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
was named as his replacement.
In his first season with the Islanders in 2006–07, he led the team to a 92 point season and its first playoff berth since 2003–04. On April 20, 2007, Ted Nolan's 8th seeded Islanders fell in five games to his former team, the top-seeded Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
.
In his second season, Nolan led the Islanders to a record of 35–38–9 for 79 points. On November 3, 2007, Al Arbour
Al Arbour
Alger Joseph "Radar" Arbour is a retired Canadian ice hockey player and a coach and executive in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
returned at the request of Nolan, to coach his 1,500th game for the Islanders in a 3–2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
.
On July 14, 2008, Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
reported that Ted Nolan was dismissed as Islanders coach by Islanders GM Garth Snow
Garth Snow
Garth E. Snow is an American retired professional ice hockey goaltender and is currently the general manager for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
.
Rochester Americans, 2009-2011
On July 2, 2009, Nolan agreed to a one-year contract with the Rochester AmericansRochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
to become their Vice President of Hockey Operations. He remained with the team through 2011, when the team was sold to Terrence Pegula
Terrence Pegula
Terrence M. "Terry" Pegula is an American businessman. Pegula founded East Resources, a natural gas drilling company, before selling the company to Royal Dutch Shell for approximately $4.7 billion....
and the Americans' front office was integrated into that of the Sabres'.
Latvia men's national ice hockey team
On August 3, 2011, Latvian Ice Hockey FederationLatvian Ice Hockey Federation
The Latvian Ice Hockey Federation is the governing body that oversees ice hockey in Latvia, including the Latvian Hockey League and the Latvia national ice hockey team.-External links:* at IIHF.com...
announced that Nolan has agreed to become the Head Coach of Latvia men's national ice hockey team.
NHL Coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | BUF Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
1995–96 | 82 | 33 | 42 | 7 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | 4th in Northeast | |||||||||||
| Missed Playoffs | ||||||||||||
| BUF | 1996–97 | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | |||||||
| 92 | 1st in Northeast | 5 | 7 | Lost in Conf. Semi-Finals | ||||||||
| BUF Total | 164 | 73 | 72 | 19 | ||||||||
| 165 | 5 | 7 | 1 Playoff Appearance | |||||||||
| NYI New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
2006–07 | 82 | 40 | 30 | ||||||||
| 12 | 92 | 4th in Atlantic | 1 | 4 | Lost in Conf. Quarter-Finals | |||||||
| NYI New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
2007–08 | 81* | 34 | 38 | ||||||||
| 9 | 79 | 5th in Atlantic | ||||||||||
Missed Playoffs
|
||||||||||||
| NYI Total | 163 | 74 | 68 | |||||||||
| 21 | 171 | 1 | 4 | 1 Playoff Appearance | ||||||||
| Total | 327 | 147 | 140 | 19 | 21 | 336 | 6 | 11 | 2 Playoff Appearances | |||
Career statistics (Player)
National Hockey League - Regular Season- Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes
YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM 1981–82 Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
41 4 13 17 45 1982–83 Played in the AHL American Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...1983–84 Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
19 1 2 3 26 1984–85 Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
18 1 1 2 34 NHL National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Regular Season Totals 78 6 16 22 105
American Hockey League - Regular Season
- Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes
YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM 1979–80 1979–80 AHL seasonThe 1979–80 AHL season was the 44th season of the American Hockey League. Ten teams were scheduled to play 80 games each. The New Haven Nighthawks finished first overall in the regular season...
Adirondack Red Wings Adirondack Red WingsThe Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
75 16 24 40 106 1980–81 1980–81 AHL seasonThe 1980–81 AHL season was the 45th season of the American Hockey League. Nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears finished first overall in the regular season...
Adirondack Red Wings Adirondack Red WingsThe Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
76 22 28 50 86 1981–82 1981–82 AHL seasonThe 1981–82 AHL season was the 46th season of the American Hockey League. Eleven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The New Brunswick Hawks finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:...
Adirondack Red Wings Adirondack Red WingsThe Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
39 12 18 30 81 1982–83 1982–83 AHL seasonThe 1982–83 AHL season was the 47th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season, and won their fourth Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:...
Adirondack Red Wings Adirondack Red WingsThe Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
78 24 40 64 106 1983–84 1983–84 AHL seasonThe 1983–84 AHL season was the 48th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The league initiates two new awards. The Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award is first awarded to the league's "best goaltender." The Jack A...
Adirondack Red Wings Adirondack Red WingsThe Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
31 10 16 26 76 1984–85 1984–85 AHL seasonThe 1984–85 AHL season was the 49th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Binghamton Whalers finished first overall in the regular season...
Rochester Americans Rochester AmericansThe Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
65 28 34 62 152 1985–86 1985–86 AHL seasonThe 1985–86 AHL season was the 50th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears finished first overall in the regular season...
Baltimore Skipjacks Baltimore SkipjacksThe Baltimore Skipjacks were a minor professional ice hockey team in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League and the American Hockey League. They played in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Baltimore Arena.-History:...
10 4 4 8 19 AHL Regular Season Totals 374 116 164 280 626