Nolan brings Stanley Cup to Garden River

The Stanley Cup made its way to Garden River First Nation on Aug. 20 where Jordan Nolan spent the day celebrating his victory with the community.
Hundreds gathered to celebrate the Stanley Cup victory with Nolan, who won the Cup as a member of the Los Angeles Kings in June after they defeated the New Jersey Devils in six games.
Festivities began with a ceremony that included a smudging of the Cup. After some addresses from chiefs, Nolan brought the Cup to the recreational centre where he presented it to the youth. A parade ensued along Highway 17B, which included a short stop at the landmark Garden River train bridge for photos.
At the community centre, Nolan met and posed for photos with friends and fans along with the Cup.
The son of former NHLer and coach Ted Nolan, Nolan had not taken hockey seriously when he was drafted in the eighth round in 2009. Ted said one of the knocks of his son as a hockey player was his work ethic. He took his son aside for a heart-to-heart conversation.
“Before I started my American Hockey League career, he said just dedicate five years of your life to hockey and do everything you can do to get to the NHL, and if things don’t work out, you can go do something else,” Nolan recalled. “But my main goal was to be in the NHL and I knew that. In order for that to happen, I’d have to make some changes in my life, and once I made those decisions, everything just started clicking so things worked out.”
With a newfound commitment, Nolan changed his attitude and toiled away in the minors before he was called up to join the Kings in February. The 23-year-old played in all the remaining regular season games with the club and played in every playoff game. He was on the ice during the final minute of the Cup clinching game.
Ted and his wife Sandra shed tears of joy as Nolan hoisted the Cup during the on-ice celebrations.
“It’s special feeling too coming from a First Nations community, Garden River,” Ted said. “Some of the things that our people went through and what have you, and all of sudden, you see one of our own win the Stanley Cup and bring it to a First Nations community. It’s something that still sends chills down your back.”
Ontario Regional Grand Chief Stan Beardy was on hand for the celebrations.
“Jordan’s story is the story that we want to tell about our youth,” he said in a media release. “Through hard work, determination, and commitment to his sport, Jordan Nolan has been able to achieve his dreams. I know we can expect many more great things from him in the near future, and that he will continue to be an inspiration to our youth.”
National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo offered congratulations Nolan.
“Nolan is an important role model for all of us, particularly our young people, who must continue to be inspired, motivated and encouraged to commit to achieving their dreams,” Atleo said in a press release. “This accomplishment is one we all share, as we continue to work toward adequate supports for Indigenous athletes and encourage healthy living among our peoples as a foundation for success.”