Best NHL captain from each franchise: San Jose Sharks – Owen Nolan
Right winger Owen Nolan will always go down as a journeyman in the NHL as he’s played on many different NHL teams but will mostly be remembered for the amazing job he did on the San Jose Sharks. It’s not easy to live up to the immensely high expectations of being a No. 1 draft pick but Nolan made a name for himself during the middle and later parts of his NHL career.
He landed with the Sharks back in 1995 after being traded by the Colorado Avalanche and quickly made a name for himself. He not only was the face of the franchise for his entire tenure but helped lead the Sharks to five straight years’ worth of playoff runs.
Unfortunately, even to this day, the Sharks have never won a Stanley Cup championship, but with Nolan doing his thing as team captain, he helped bring a much-needed facelift during those times. Even though the Sharks never got far when they did make the playoffs, Nolan’s leadership and ability to keep everyone motivated even during defeat, spoke volumes about everything he brought to the franchise.
Nolan went to the NHL All-Star Game five times in his career and you guessed it, he represented the Sharks in every single one of those appearances. He might have worn many different jerseys in his 13-year career but he’ll always be remembered as a Shark in the eyes of many since it was the team that brought him the most success.