Season Stats: 69 GP | 4 G | 4 A | 8 PTS
Age: 28
Contract Status: UFA
Jordan Nolan was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres from the Los Angeles Kings a few weeks before the start of the season at the end of September. He’s a versatile forward in the sense that he can play either wing. We know this is a trait that Jason Botterill and Phil Housley like to see in their players.
To no fault really of Nolan’s, he was the point of contention when fans vented about this offseason. Due to the lack of depth on the roster, the former seventh-round pick saw himself playing up and down the lineup throughout the season. That included stints in the top six and games where he played close to 15 minutes near the end of the year.
Nolan fills a specific role as a fourth line winger that is physical and will drop the gloves. Outside of that, he doesn’t provide a lot on the ice on a night to night basis. He’s a highly replaceable player that may not have a lot of time in the NHL left.
The 28-year-old didn’t really play his role this season all that well. The league has gone away from fighting, but even so, Nolan only dropped the gloves three times this season. He took some really bad penalties and had some poor turnovers that hurt his team at points in the season.
He’s not supposed to drive offense, but outside of the three games this season, he did very little to have an offensive impact. Entering the offseason as an unrestricted free agent it’s highly unlikely that Nolan will return to the Sabres. It’ll be interesting to see if he gets another NHL opportunity next season.
Season Grade: D+
What grade would you give Jordan Nolan this season?
| A | 12 |
| B | 44 |
| C | 203 |
| D | 263 |
| F | 231 |