An Indigenous hockey player for the St. Louis Blues is expected to bring the Stanley Cup home to a Northern Ontario First Nation for the third time in seven years.
Jordan Nolan, 29, from Garden River First Nation hoisted and kissed the cup Wednesday night after the Blues beat the Boston Bruins 4-1.
Traditionally, each player on the winning team is awarded a day with the Stanley Cup. Nolan has taken the Cup home twice before, after wins with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014.
National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Perry Bellegarde offered his congratulations to Nolan on Twitter, praising him for a “great series.”
Nolan’s father, Ted Nolan, and brother, Brandon Nolan, have both played in the NHL. Ted Nolan had also served as a head coach for the Buffalo Sabres.
Outside of professional sports, the Nolans operate their own organization that works to develop hockey and leadership skills for Indigenous youth.
