Nolan Yonkman has experienced a lot throughout his 14-year professional hockey career.  “It’s amazing where the hockey world has taken me. I’ve met so many great individuals in coaches, players, fans, and been to so many cities.”

Growing up in Punnichy, Saskatchewan, Yonkman got involved in hockey at an early age.  “It all started in 1993 for me with the Toronto Maple Leafs that featured Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark.  Wendel was a big deal as a Saskatchewan boy and I ended up going to his hockey school in Kelvington.”

Yonkman later attended the Barry Melrose Hockey School, also in Saskatchewan, where his skills were becoming noticed.  “At the end of the hockey school they presented me with the Best Player and Hardest Worker awards.  I knew I was kind of good in my area for a small town.  That hockey school though really sparked the dream for me.” 

It took time and effort by his parents to drive Yonkman’s passion for hockey.  “My parents drove me to the hockey schools.  It was up north so they took the time to go camping and make sure that I was there.  Without their support none of this would have happened.”

After finishing his junior career with the Kelowna Rockets and Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League, Yonkman made his pro debut for the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2001-02.  He had been drafted 37^th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. 

Yonkman had to transition to the pro game quickly in order to prove himself.  “It can be intimidating for a 19-year old coming in to the NHL. You think you’re at the top of your game coming out of junior, and then you realize that you’re starting at the bottom again as a rookie.  Nobody cares what you did in junior or how many championships you won there, or where you got drafted.  You’ll get luxury from staff for that but you’ll need to scratch and claw to earn the respect of the older, established players.  You need to prove that you deserved to be drafted where you were and deserve the ice time.”

Young, aspiring players would be wise to listen to veterans like Yonkman who have experienced the transition and can impart the wisdom that can help make it easier.  “You need to learn from older players about how to live and then adapt to the game on the ice.”

Yonkman made his NHL debut with Washington on January 14^th, 2001 against the Boston Bruins.  “It’s a totally different level.  In my first game, Adam Oates got his 1000^th assist.  I remember in the room afterwards, we both congratulated each other because of our milestones.  It was a special night and to think Adam Oates was drafted in 1981, the year I was born is crazy.”

He only played 11 games for the Capitals in his first pro season but Yonkman will never forget his first NHL goal on April 6^th, 2002.  “The play went from Chris Simon to Peter Bondra.  Bondra threw the puck out to me in the slot just as I came on from a change and I one-timed it over Chris Osgood’s glove hand.  I only had one goal that year but I’ll never forget it.”

Things were looking up for Yonkman as he headed into training camp after his first pro season.  Then he tore a back muscle in training camp and things took a turn for the worse.  “I was in great shape but I had internal bleeding in my back.” 

More injuries piled on over his career including 3 knee surgeries, a broken arm, and fractured orbital bone.   But the most difficult injury happened after he returned to action from his back injury.  “I came back and played a game in Washington and still didn’t feel right so they sent me to Portland.  In my fourth game there I got in a fight and tore my ACL, and that ended my season requiring a 6-month rehab.

Unfortunately, Yonkman was hurt for most of the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, but after what felt like a long 6-month rehab, he was feeling great going into the lockout year until he encountered another untimely injury. 

“At a summer camp in Washington, we were running backwards in a field and I stepped in a hole.  I ended up tearing my ACL again, the same one I just rehabbed.” 

Patience was the key for Yonkman as he knew the slow process was important to ensure he would be the best when he got back on the ice.  When he was finally able to come back from the ACL injury, he had tendinitis and strength issues.  “My development over the last 3-4 years caught up to me.  Washington had Mike Green and Jeff Schultz coming up and I became a free agent.  At 26, I had to play catch up.”

It didn’t take long for Yonkman to find his place in pro hockey after his time with Washington.  “I found my niche in the AHL as a veteran with the Milwaukee Admirals working with Claude Noel and Lane Lambert.”

His leadership qualities were first established in Milwaukee when he signed as a free agent and served as Assistant Captain for 3 years before he was promoted to team Captain.  “Leading by example, being accountable to yourself, and being accountable to the room make a good leader at the AHL level,” explains Yonkman.  Every team has different personalities and feeling what the room needs at the right time strengthens the team.” 

Milkwaukee still holds a special place in Yonkman’s heart.  “I still go back to Milwaukee in the summer because it’s a great place.  They have great facilities and it’s a great community.”

Not many people can say that they have been on stage with Blake Shelton but during his time as an Admiral, Yonkman was fortunate to do so.  As the AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators, Milwaukee connects to country music fans like Yonkman for concert series. “The Admirals have concert nights in Milwaukee for their fans and Blake Shelton came to town. I brought my guitar to get signed after the game and met him backstage during the encore.  I asked if I could join him and him being the great guy he is said ‘okay’. I felt like a country music star for one night.” 

Watch Nolan Yonkman on stage with Blake Shelton

Yonkman went on to be a team captain for 6 years split between Milwaukee, San Antonio, and Adirondack.  This past season, Yonkman served as captain of the Adirondack Flames appearing in 65 games. “There are so many highs and lows, as a leader you need to know when to speak and when not to.  Coaches create the systems for the players and as a captain, you relay that message, but at the end of the day, the players decide what type of team that they want to be.”

Most recently, Yonkman was a part of Stopconcussions.com hockey program that toured Australia as a member of Team Canada.  He served as a co-captain with Brent Burns as Team Canada won the 4-game series.  “Raising awareness of concussions and bringing pro hockey to Australia was great. There was so much interest and they follow the game over there.  Kerry Goulet, Wayne Primeau, and Keith Primeau did a great job taking care of all the players.  It got serious in the last game because everyone wanted to win.  If guys have the chance to do it, I would definitely recommend it. Even I want to be apart of it again.”

After 733 games in the AHL and 76 more in the NHL, Yonkman is embarking on a new experience for the 2015-16 season.  Yonkman signed with JYP in the Finnish league and it will be the first time in his career playing pro hockey outside of North America.  “It’s the next chapter.  I’ve always wanted to play in Europe and I want to extend my career.  Last year was the first time that I was on an AHL contract in my career.”

Yonkman has had a noteworthy career in North America that has included playing for 10 professional teams (6 AHL, 4 NHL).  “Being able to play in the AHL for as long as I did is special.  It’s not easy to ride the bus and play 3 games in 3 nights but there is nothing else I would rather be doing.  It’s amazing to be a pro hockey player and I’m grateful for my 14 years.”