Ted Nolan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ted Nolan |
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Ted Nolan at the 2006 NHL awards
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| Born | April 7, 1958 Garden River First Nation, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Detroit Red Wings Pittsburgh Penguins |
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| NHL Draft | 78th overall, 1978 Detroit Red Wings |
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| Playing career | 1978–1986 | ||
Theodore John Nolan (born April 7, 1958) is an Indigenous Canadian who used to play and coach ice hockey. He played as a left winger in the National Hockey League (NHL). He also coached teams like the Buffalo Sabres and the national teams for Latvia and Poland.
Ted Nolan played three seasons in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. He also coached the New York Islanders. Later, he became the head coach for the Buffalo Sabres again in 2013. He stayed in that job until 2015.
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Playing Hockey
Ted Nolan played as a left-wing player. He played for the Ontario Hockey Association's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He also played for teams like the Kansas City Red Wings and the Adirondack Red Wings.
He was part of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League. He played for these big teams in the early to mid-1980s.
Coaching Hockey Teams
Coaching in the OHL
Nolan became the head coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 1988. He coached them until 1994. He led the Greyhounds to the Memorial Cup tournament three times in a row. They won the Canadian junior championship in 1993.
Buffalo Sabres (1995–1997)
Ted Nolan joined the Hartford Whalers as an assistant coach in 1994. After one season, he became the head coach for the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL. In his second year with the Sabres, his team won the Northeast Division title. He also won the Jack Adams Award as the league's best coach.
However, he had some disagreements with the team's star goalie, Dominik Hašek. He also had issues with the general manager, John Muckler. The team's new general manager, Darcy Regier, offered Nolan a new contract. Nolan felt the offer was too low after winning Coach of the Year. He turned it down, and the Sabres hired a new coach.
After the Sabres
After leaving Buffalo, Nolan was offered other NHL coaching jobs. He turned down offers from the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders. For eight years, he did not get another NHL coaching job. Some people thought it was because of his past issues with the Sabres' general manager.
In 2005, something upsetting happened during a game. Fans shouted mean things at him because he is Indigenous. The league and the team quickly said sorry for the fans' behavior. Nolan's team, the Wildcats, made it to the 2006 Memorial Cup final. They lost to the Quebec Remparts.
New York Islanders (2006–2008)
On June 8, 2006, Ted Nolan was hired as the new head coach for the New York Islanders. In his first season, he helped the team reach the playoffs. This was their first playoff spot since 2004. His Islanders team lost to his old team, the Buffalo Sabres, in the playoffs.
In his second season, the Islanders did not make the playoffs. He was fired by the team's general manager in July 2008.
Rochester Americans (2009–2011)
In 2009, Nolan joined the Rochester Americans as their Vice President of Hockey Operations. He worked with the team until 2011.
Latvia National Team (2011–2013)
In 2011, Ted Nolan became the head coach of the Latvia men's national ice hockey team. He coached Latvia in the 2012 and 2013 World Championships. In 2013, Latvia qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics with Nolan as coach.
At the Olympics, Latvia played very well. They beat Switzerland in the playoffs. They then played against the defending champions, Canada. Latvia lost a very close game 2-1. This was Latvia's best Olympic hockey result ever, finishing eighth overall.
Back to Buffalo (2013–2015)
On November 13, 2013, Nolan returned to the Buffalo Sabres as interim head coach. He was hired after the team fired their coach and general manager. Even though the team did not win many games, the new general manager wanted to keep Nolan.
Nolan signed a three-year contract in March 2014. However, in April 2015, the general manager fired Nolan. The team had finished in last place.
Poland National Team (2017–2018)
Nolan started coaching the Polish national team in 2017. The team played in the 2018 IIHF World Championship Division I A. They were moved down to a lower division. Nolan resigned shortly after.
Ted Nolan's Life
Ted Nolan and his wife have two sons, Brandon and Jordan. Both of his sons also played in the NHL.
Nolan is a member of the Ojibwe Nation, which is a First Nations people. He grew up with 11 brothers and sisters in a poor home. Their house had no electricity or running water. His father died when Ted was 14. His mother was killed in a car accident when he was 24.
Helping Others
In 2004, Nolan started The Ted Nolan Foundation. This foundation gives a scholarship each year to honor his mother. It is called the Rose Nolan Memorial scholarship. This scholarship gives $5,000 to female First Nations students. It helps those who do well in school and sports, and who are active in their communities.
In 2013, Nolan and his two sons started the 3|NOLANS First Nation Hockey School. This school teaches hockey skills to young people. It also teaches them how to live a healthy and active life. This 5-day camp is for boys and girls aged 7–15. It helps First Nation youth become good role models in their communities.
Awards and Honours
Ted Nolan has received several awards for his work and community involvement.
- He won the Jack Adams Award in the 1996–97 NHL season. This award is given to the best coach in the NHL.
- He received the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1994.
Images for kids
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Ted Nolan at the 2006 NHL awards
See also
