Nolan Baumgartner is a former professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman. He was born on March 23, 1976, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Baumgartner began his hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Kamloops Blazers in 1992. He played for the Blazers for four seasons and was a key player in their success, helping them win two Memorial Cup championships in 1994 and 1995.
In 1994, Baumgartner was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the first round, 10th overall, in the NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Capitals in the 1995-96 season and played in 17 games. However, he spent most of his time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Portland Pirates.
Baumgartner played for several NHL teams throughout his career, including the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played a total of 143 NHL games, scoring 4 goals and 23 assists for 27 points. Baumgartner was known for his strong defensive play and his ability to move the puck up the ice.
In addition to his NHL career, Baumgartner also played in several international tournaments for Canada. He won a gold medal at the 1995 World Junior Championships and a silver medal at the 1996 World Junior Championships. He also represented Canada at the 1996 World Championships.
After retiring from professional hockey in 2010, Baumgartner became a coach. He started as an assistant coach with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL in 2010 and was promoted to head coach in 2012. He led the Winterhawks to the WHL finals in his first season as head coach and was named the WHL Coach of the Year in 2013.
Baumgartner left the Winterhawks in 2014 to become an assistant coach with the Utica Comets of the AHL. He helped lead the Comets to the Calder Cup Finals in his first season as an assistant coach. In 2017, Baumgartner was promoted to head coach of the Comets and has been in that role ever since.
Overall, Nolan Baumgartner had a successful hockey career as a player and has continued that success as a coach. He was a key player on several championship teams and has helped lead his teams to success as a coach.
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