While with the Sault Ste.
Marie Greyhounds as a nineteen-year-old, Nolan was involved in an altercation with R.J. Mahalak of the Plymouth Whalers in March 2009.
In an unprovoked attack, Nolan punched Mahalak twice in the face, giving him a concussion as he fell to the ice and struck his head.
As a result, Nolan received a 20-game suspension by the OHL. "
They believed it was vicious enough for a 20-game suspension and they felt it was fortunate the player (Mahalak) wasn't hurt more severely", said Greyhounds' general manager Dave Torrie. "(
But) that was one of the scariest things I've ever seen.
He (Nolan) went after a player who wasn't going to fight.
You have to pay consequences," said Whalers' head coach and general manager Mike Vellucci of the incident.

In the NHL, Nolan has faced disciplinary action from the league on multiple occasions.
On March 24, 2013, Nolan was fined $1,436.94 by the league for a cross-check to the head of Vancouver Canucks' forward Henrik Sedin.
The fine was the maximum allowed under the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement.

In a game against the Edmonton Oilers on March 9, 2014, Nolan sucker punched unsuspecting Oilers' forward Jesse Joensuu after a scrum near the end of the second period.
At the time of the punch, Joensuu's hands were being held by a linesman.
Nolan was assessed a double-minor for the incident and was scheduled for a disciplinary hearing with NHL Director of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan the following day.
 On March 10, the NHL announced a one-game suspension for Nolan as a result of the incident.
While with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds as a nineteen-year-old, Nolan was involved in an altercation with R.J. Mahalak of the Plymouth Whalers in March 2009. In an unprovoked attack, Nolan punched Mahalak twice in the face, giving him a concussion as he fell to the ice and struck his head. As a result, Nolan received a 20-game suspension by the OHL. "They believed it was vicious enough for a 20-game suspension and they felt it was fortunate the player (Mahalak) wasn't hurt more severely", said Greyhounds' general manager Dave Torrie. "(But) that was one of the scariest things I've ever seen. He (Nolan) went after a player who wasn't going to fight. You have to pay consequences," said Whalers' head coach and general manager Mike Vellucci of the incident.
In the NHL, Nolan has faced disciplinary action from the league on multiple occasions. On March 24, 2013, Nolan was fined $1,436.94 by the league for a cross-check to the head of Vancouver Canucks' forward Henrik Sedin. The fine was the maximum allowed under the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
In a game against the Edmonton Oilers on March 9, 2014, Nolan sucker punched unsuspecting Oilers' forward Jesse Joensuu after a scrum near the end of the second period. At the time of the punch, Joensuu's hands were being held by a linesman. Nolan was assessed a double-minor for the incident and was scheduled for a disciplinary hearing with NHL Director of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan the following day.  On March 10, the NHL announced a one-game suspension for Nolan as a result of the incident.
Jordan Nolan