METRO VANCOUVER — Despite his Northern Ireland roots, Owen Nolan acknowledges he's no Rory McIlroy or Graeme McDowell when it comes to golf.
"Nope, if I get out six times a summer, that's a record," Nolan said as he prepared to tee it up Wednesday in the Vancouver Canucks' annual Jake Milford charity tournament at Northview Golf Club in Surrey. "I can hold my own, but I have my good days and bad days on the course like everyone else."
The Canucks, of course, couldn't care less how good or bad Nolan hits a 5-iron. What they want to know is whether Nolan — who was born nearly 40 years ago in Belfast — can still contribute on the ice.
They're about to find out. Nolan and the rest of the Canuck veterans report for training camp Friday morning at Rogers Arena. It figures to be a new experience for the big right-winger, who is attending camp on a personal tryout contract.
Nolan gave a simple answer when asked why, at age 39 after a highly successful pro career that has seen him log exactly 1,200 regular-season NHL games, he is back trying to extend his playing days.
"Well, I still have lots in the tank," he said. "I love to compete, I love playing the game and I'm just not ready to say that's enough."
Nolan is one year removed from the NHL. He spent last season playing for Zurich in the Swiss League, where he had seven goals and 26 points in 24 games. It was not the highlight of his distinguished career.
"It was tough," he said. "I had two young kids at home and I only saw them for three weeks out of five months. I more or less went over there to stay in shape and hopefully get that phone call to come back and play. Things didn't pan out and I ended up staying for that reason. I love to play the game and I love to compete."
The Canucks would be his eighth NHL team. Since being drafted first overall by the Quebec Nordiques way back in 1990, Nolan has scored 422 NHL goals and accumulated 885 points. He also has 1,793 penalty minutes in his 1,200 NHL games, which for the Canucks may be the most important stat of all.
Nolan plays a tough game and after what happened to them against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup final, the Canucks are looking to upgrade in the grit department.
"Owen Nolan is a veteran player who throughout his career has played a hard-nosed physical style and at times has had the ability to score," Canucks assistant general manager Laurence Gilman said Wednesday. "He is a character guy, he has been a captain in the NHL and we think he can bring a blend of grit and character to our team."
"He's a competitor," added Vancouver defenceman Keith Ballard, who played with Nolan for one season in Phoenix. "He comes to the rink and he competes hard, he plays hard and he has played for a long time. He's a good, fun, kind of light-hearted guy, but when he is at the rink he is very serious and very focused. He's a goal-scorer, but he's also physical and tough. He can do a lot of things and there's a reason he has played for a long time."
Nolan sees himself potentially filling any number of roles for the Canucks.
"I can pretty much play any role that they need me to play," he said. "I am still strong enough to stand in front of the net on power plays, I can kill penalties, I have done that for a long time. I think I can help out in a lot of ways. I can still play physical, I can still fight, I can chip in any way they need me to."
Nolan acknowledged that it will feel strange attending a training camp without a contract in his back pocket.
"It's definitely something different, but I accept the challenge," he said. "Like I said, I am a competitor and I am always going to be until I decide to retire. I am going to give it my all and hopefully they are going to like what they see."
All Nolan wants is a fair shot and he said the Canucks have promised him that.
"I didn't want to come here just to say I went to a camp," he said. "They told me they are going to give me a legitimate shot to make the team and that's what I was looking for."
The Canucks have proven in the past they will give players attending camp on tryouts every opportunity to make the team.
"You look at last year, two players who came to camp on tryouts, Peter Schaefer and Brendan Morrison, both got contracts," Gilman said. "When they come they not only get a chance to audition for us, but each team around the league has their pro scouting staffs watching other games so they are auditioning for the other 29 teams as well."
Right now, Nolan is clearly focused on making the Canucks. He likes what he sees of the team and at this point in his career isn't particularly interested in being part of a rebuilding project.
"They are a great team and proved it last season when they were right there," he said. "To have that opportunity to win, that is what I am looking for."
