When I was growing up, I had a favorite player or players in every sport, Barry Bonds and Will Clark, Michael Jordan, Steve Young and Jerry Rice, and one name that probably nobody knows of, and that's Owen Nolan.
Nolan was the poster boy and the superstar of the San Jose Sharks as I started watching hockey. He was as tough as they come. He could skate pretty well for a guy his size, handle the puck, score, play physical and fight.
I went to a game back in 2000, my first NHL playoff game with Larry, also known as Mr. Wong. In that game Nolan scored two goals and the Sharks won 2-1. Til this day, it's one of the best games I have ever been to in my life.
There was just something about Owen Nolan that captivated me, the same way some superstars in sports captivate you and audiences.
I always wished that some day he would come back and play for the Sharks, but that dream never happened. Today, he retired from the NHL as a San Jose Shark.
He could barely get through his short speech, as he was holding back tears.
With his family in the front row, he thanked everybody from the Sharks organization, to the teammates he had, and to the fans.
I have an Owen Nolan jersey that I actually bought at JCPenny for only $30. That might've been the best $30 I have ever spent in my life.
So take the time and watch these videos of him in action. I will also include one at the bottom which is one of the most famous goals in NHL All-Star Game history where he called his shot. He pointed to the goalie and then where he was going to shoot the puck, and he buried it into the net.
He finished his career with 422 career goals.
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