Quoting: Riley816
Fired from Sabres in 1997. Hired by Islanders in 2006. Most 'very good' coaches go a decade without a job???
Quoting: LeafsfanMathews
Or blacklisted but you are entitled to your own opinion
https://www.ctvnews.ca/w5/former-nhl-coach-of-the-year-reflects-on-a-career-marred-by-racism-1.5287935
i have been a season ticket holder for years.
Apparently the players loved Ted.
I do not know why.
Did he socialize with them after the games?
Did he allow the players freedom to do their own thing on the ice?
His second year, the team hired Paul Theriault as an assistant coach. There was an obvious change in the offensive tendencies, the Sabres made the playoffs and Nolan won the jack Adams award.
There was a rift between Ted and John Muckler and Ted won, John (one of the smartest Hockey men of his time) was fired.
Nolan did not go to the airport to meet Darcy Regier but was still offered a one year contract which Ted refused.
Nolan was offered NHL coaching jobs in 1997 by the Tampa Bay Lightning (head coach) and in 1998 by the New York Islanders (assistant coach). Nolan declined both offers.
In 2006–07, he led the islanders to a 92-point season. The following year the Islanders record fell to 79 points.
On July 14, 2008, Newsday reported that Ted Nolan was dismissed as Islanders coach by Islanders GM Garth Snow.
So if he was black balled, he was offered 3 jobs and refused all of them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Nolan
Nolan was brought back to coach the Sabres to get the fans excited and assure a poor season to get the best chance at the first overall draft pick.
He and Ruff won Jack Adams awards because they had a great GK.
Well that is my three cents.