A New Opportunity For Nolan0

By Dave Joseph for floridapanthers.com

(July 21, 2009)… Ted Nolan’s circuitous career in the NHL – one which he’s experienced incredible success as a coach albeit in only four seasons – has brought him nearly full circle.

Some 25 years after being the captain of the Rochester Americans, Nolan has returned to the Panthers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate to help restore the team’s history and excitement.Nolan, the NHL’s Jack Adams Award winner while coach of the Sabres in 1996-97, called the Amerks “one of the most storied franchises in American Hockey League history,” recently after being named July 1 the team’s VP of Hockey Operations.

And Nolan aims to bring that tradition back to the Amerks. “It was a great place to play, and now we want to give them (the fans) something to cheer about and get that excitement back,” he added.

Nolan is another step in the right direction for the Amerks. While he’s been described by some as an enigma, he’s also a winner. Although he’s coached only four seasons in the NHL since 1995, he led the Sabres and Islanders to the playoffs in two of those four seasons while producing three winning records. And in his only season coaching in the minors, he led Moncton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) to the finals of the Memorial Cup.

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