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Report: Ex-Sabres coach Nolan in talks for WHL Vancouver gig

Boston Bruins v Buffalo Sabres

BUFFALO, NY - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Ted Nolan of the Buffalo Sabres watches the action against the Boston Bruins on October 18, 2014 at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

Ted Nolan might not be out of work for long.

Nolan, dismissed from the head coaching gig in Buffalo last month, has reportedly been in talks with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants about their vacant bench boss job, per The Province.

Nolan, 57, has extensive experience at the junior level. Prior to his first stint in the NHL in the mid-90s, Nolan achieved great success in OHL Sault Ste. Marie and replicated that success nearly 10 years later in the Quebec League, helping Moncton advance all the way to the Memorial Cup Final in 2006.

It’s unclear how serious talks are with the Giants but, per a source of The Province’s Steve Ewen, Nolan is interested in the job that’s been vacant since former Jets head coach Claude Noel was dismissed in March.

As for how Nolan’s contractual status would be sorted?

It’s difficult to get hard info on coaching salaries, but the consensus seems to be that an NHL head coaching gig starts in the $700,000 range. A major junior job is usually in the $100,000 range.

Noel still had a year left on his Winnipeg Jets’ contract, and, as the story goes, he kept getting that money when he joined the Giants after Ward was let go. Vancouver, in turn, paid Winnipeg the equivalent of a WHL coaching wage.

Nolan signed a three-year extension with Buffalo in March of 2014, and has two years left on the deal.