Wild springs surprise with signing of Nolan

Joel Koyama, Star Tribune

Robyn Regehr and Owen Nolan checked Marian Gaborik during a game.

The team wasn't quite done, adding a former No. 1 overall pick from way back who still was a strong contributor last season.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: July 6, 2008 - 11:26 PM

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Psych.

Three days after General Manager Doug Risebrough all but declared the Wild done in the free-agent market, the Wild snatched up one rugged, gray-haired, battle-scarred veteran.

Owen Nolan, the former San Jose Sharks captain who was taken first overall in the 1990 draft by the Quebec Nordiques, signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Wild on Sunday night.

Nolan has been a fearless combatant for 16 seasons. While his 40-goal, All-Star-type seasons might be a thing of the past, Nolan, 36, who can play wing and take faceoffs, was a gritty cog for the Calgary Flames last season and plans to bring his distinguished old-school, rough-and-tumble brand of hockey to Minnesota.

"I'm very passionate when I play," said Nolan, who has scored 381 goals (139 on the power play) and 807 points and amassed 1,727 penalty minutes in 1,068 games. "I've played the game hard for several years, and I'll play that way 'til I'm done. The numbers may not be the same as they used to be, but my desire to play and my desire to win are still the same.

"The way I've played the game since I was very young is an aggressive style. I love the hitting side of the game. Goals are fun, but I love the physical play. It's the Irish blood coming out of me."

However, because Nolan, who was born in Belfast, Ireland, plays with such reckless abandon, he has faced bumps and bruises -- and serious injuries -- throughout his career. After playing with Toronto in 2003-04, it took Nolan two years to recover from a knee injury, missing the lockout-extinguished 2004-05 season and all of 2005-06.

He made an NHL comeback two seasons ago, scoring 16 goals and 40 points for the Phoenix Coyotes before scoring another 16 last year for Calgary and seeing loads of ice time in the playoffs.

He looked a lot like the old Owen Nolan -- nasty and mean and willing to get into scraps.

"I think he'll be a great example for our young players on how to play the game," Risebrough said. "He's a warrior, a respected veteran. He's a guy that uses his size and determination to get to the net, and in his case he pushes people to get there.

"He doesn't make it easy on people."

The Wild made a pitch for Nolan three days ago, but Nolan was waiting on Calgary to make him what he termed "a decent offer."

"But Minnesota came after me really hard with this great opportunity, and I just couldn't pass it up," said Nolan, who still spends his offseason in San Jose, where he played eight strong seasons. "It's a young team, and I think this will be a natural role for me right now. This time in my career, I come with a lot of knowledge and as long as there are young guys willing to listen, I can teach quite a bit."

He said with a chuckle that he's "100 percent healthy -- according to my chiropractor."

When Risebrough got into management in 1989 with Calgary, the first amateur player he says he ever interviewed was Nolan when he played under Marc Crawford for Cornwall in the Ontario Hockey League.

"And we're both still in the game," Nolan said.

As of this past weekend, it was believed the Wild had an offer in on free agent Brendan Morrison.

But Risebrough said Sunday night: "I think I'm close to done. We have 23 guys now. You add it all up [with raises to restricted free agents Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Stephane Veilleux], we're close to the [$56.7 million salary] cap."

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