Evgeni Nabokov

At 48 years old, Evgeni Nabokov has this physical status:

Yevgeni Viktorovich Nabokov (born July 25, 1975), also known as Evgeni Nabokov, is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender who competed for the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, and Tampa Bay Lightning of National Hockey League (NHL) and Torpedo Moscow, Metallurg Magnitogorsk and SKA Saint Petersburg of the Russian Super League (KHL) and Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and Kontinene

During his time with the Sharks, Nabokov, the All-Star draft winner in 1994, was voted the best goaltender in the NHL, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best goaltender in 2001 and the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltender in 2008.

He left the league in 2010 to play for SKA Saint Petersburg in Russia, but returned soon after and ended his career in the NHL.

After retiring as a player, Nabokov began working as a program coach for the Sharks and in 2019 he was named goaltending coach for the team. In his first nine seasons in the NHL, all with San Jose, Nabokov became the team's top scorer in nearly every goaltending segment, including games played, victories, and shutouts.

He had the eighth most all-time NHL regular season victories at his retirement.

He scored a goal in 2002, his seventh goalie in NHL history and first not from North America. Born in Kazakhstan's then-Soviet republic, Nabokov first competed for Kazakhstan at the 1994 World Championships Group C. However, he later joined the Russian national team and competed for them from 2006 to 2010, winning gold at both the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.

Personal life

In the Kazakh SSR (now Kazakhstan), Nabokov, a single child, was born in Ust-Kamenogorsk (now known as Oskemen). Viktor, his father, was a professional hockey goaltender who played 18 years in both Russia and Kazakhstan before retiring in 1987. Viktor founded a goaltending academy in the city, which Nabokov later attended after his playing career came to an end. Tatyana's mother worked as an engineer in a local factory. When he was six years old, Nabokov started playing hockey, in the same way that his father had played.

When Nabokov first moved to North America in 1997, he went by the name "John," afraid that English speakers would have trouble pronouncing his name.

Soon after starting to play in Kentucky, Nabokov met Tabitha Eckler. At the time, she was a college student and waitress. They were married in 2001. Emily (born in January 2004) and son Andrei (born on February 12, 2007) have two children together, Emily (born in January 2004) and daughter Andrei (born on February 12, 2007).

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Playing career

Nabokov played for Tort-Kamenogorsk from 1991 to 1994, and he spent three years with the club from 1991 to 1994. He was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the ninth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, placing him 219th overall in his first season with the team. When Tim Burke, the Sharks' scout, heard of Nabokov, he was originally scouting for a different goalie. Nabokov never played before deciding him in the draft, and did not contact him until 1997. Following the season, Nabokov joined Dynamo Moscow, where he would spend the next three seasons. Dynamo's first year as president It was after the 1996–97 season, when Nabokov assisted Dynamo in the European Hockey League's final, that the Sharks contacted him and invited him to a deal and move to North America.

Initially reluctant to move to North America and play for the Sharks' minor league affiliates, Nabokov was hesitant to play for Dynamo Moscow, but after consulting with his parents, he decided to move to North America and play for the Sharks minor league affiliates, but he eventually decided against it. He was unable to adapt to the Sharks' affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the first year, and was eager to return to Russia for his first year. However, he stayed after meeting his future wife, Tabitha, and redefining his playing style with the Sharks goaltending coach Warren Strelow. Nabokov, who was drafted as the Thoroughblades' back-up goalie, appeared in 33 games for the team. In nearly every goaltending class, the following season was much better; he stayed near the top of the AHL in almost every goaltending position, though he missed time due to appendicitis; he played in 43 games for Kentucky, winning 26 of them.

Nabokov played for the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League in 1999–2000 season. After 20 games with Cleveland, where he had a record of 12 victories, four losses, and three tiebreakers, Nabokov was called to the Sharks to serve as the back-up to Steve Shields, after Mike Vernon was traded. In retaliation of Shields against the Nashville Predators on January 1, 2000, Nabokov made his NHL debut against the Nashville Predators on January 1, 2000. Nabokov made 39 saves for his first shutout in a 0–0 tie in January 19, his first appearance against the Colorado Avalanche. He appeared in 11 games for the Sharks during the 1999–00 NHL season, winning two and losing two.

Shields suffered his ankle in the second game of the 2000-01 season, causing Nabokov to replace him as the starting goalie. He appeared in 66 games and had a record of 32 wins and 21 losses, and was invited to the mid-season All-Star Game. Nabokov was named the winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy as the year's rookie of the year and was also voted fourth in the Vezina Trophy for best goalie in the league in honor of his efforts. He had similar success in the second season, winning 37 victories and seven shutouts in 67 games, and on March 10, 2002, he scored a goal against the Vancouver Canucks, both the first European goalie to do so and the first goalie to score a powerplay goal.

Nabokov ruled out a labor dispute at the start of the 2002–03 season. He deserved a pay raise after making less than $1 million in the previous two years, and estimates that it would be about $4 million per season. He played in five games before the club agreed to a two-year deal worth just less than $3.5 million per season. Both Nabokov and the Sharks had a rough season, with the team missing the playoffs for the first time in six years and Nabokov only winning 19 games and finishing with a losing record. The team's 31 victories helped the team reach the playoffs again, where they reached the third round for the first time in team history. He made more money per year since being born in 2004.

By ESPN The Magazine and The Hockey News, Nabokov was often regarded as one of the top goaltenders in the NHL and was often ranked as one of the top ten, if not top five goaltenders in the league. However, the 2005–06 season was an off year for Nabokov, with his save percentage below.900 being a point of worry for the team. He was recalled to Vesa Toskala's backup goaltender role. Despite his less-than-stellar role, Nabokov has been signed to a four-year deal extension worth around $21.5 million in February 2006. The deal was only active on the condition that San Jose made the playoffs.

Nabokov split the starting goaltending duties with Toskala between 2006-07 during the NHL season. In the Sharks' 82 games, Nabokov was at 49. In the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2007 NBA playoffs, Nabokov appeared in five games, assisting the Sharks in defeating the Nashville Predators in 5 games.

Nabokov played in the first 43 games for the Sharks during the first half of the 2007–08 NHL season, but Thomas Greiss played his first day off in Anaheim on January 13, 2008. In the last week of December 2007, Nabokov, Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, and Jaromr Jágr of the New York Rangers were all named as one of the "Three Stars" for the NHL. In addition to this award, Nabokov was named by Seagate Technology as the "Sharks Player of the Month" in December. Seagate Technology has honored Sharks players who have contributed to the team's success since the 1996-97 season and has made a donation of $2,500 to The Sharks Foundation on behalf of the players. Nabokov has a franchise for winning nine times in the competition.

On January 27, 2008, Nabokov was playing in his second NBA All-Star Game. He stopped all eight shots that came at him in the 2002 game, marking the first time since Nikolai Khabibulin's time as a goalie in an All-Star match in which no goals were scored. In the last minute of the second period, he stopped both of Ilya Kovalchuk's shots. Nabokov saved a shot from Brad Richards of the Dallas Stars on May 4 by sliding over from the other side of the post and gloving the puck during game six of the 2008 NHL Playoffs Western Conference Semi-Finals. The save was reviewed for several minutes before ensuring that Nabokov saved it before it went over the goal line. The game, which culminated in a Dallas win, lasted four overtime periods and was the eighth longest game in the league's history.

When the team clinched first overall in the Western Conference and the league, Nabokov won 41 games for San Jose over the course of the season. Despite this, San Jose was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by eighth seed Anaheim Ducks, the fourth time an eighth seed team defeated a first seed team in the first round of the playoffs. In a 4–1 victory over the New York Islanders on October 17, 2009, he played in his 500th game, foursome with the Sharks and stopped 31 shots. Nabokov won by a 3–2 shootout over the Detroit Red Wings on February 11, 2010, his 11th straight road victory, a new NHL record.

Doug Wilson, the Sharks' general manager, told Nabokov that he would not be offered a new deal at the end of the 2009-10 season, with the team unable to accommodate his salary demands due to the NHL salary cap. Nabokov, an unrestricted free agent, did not receive any bids from NHL teams, and so agreed to work with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The contract was expected to be worth $24 million over four years. The salary was in line with what Nabokov had apparently been looking for, though he denied that money was a factor but rather signed due to the length of the contract. In the KHL, Nabokov struggled, and after 22 games with SKA, the team announced in a tweet in December that cited "family circumstances" as the reason for the team's withdrawal in December. Nabokov achieved eight victories and eight losses in his lone season in the KHL, with a goal against average and a save percentage far above his career averages.

Nabokov, a free agent, signed a deal with the Detroit Red Wings on January 20, 2011; the Red Wings were one of the top teams in the league at the time, and Nabokov said the Red Wings were one of the best teams in the league at the time, but Nabokov signed a deal for less than $100,000 as a result. However, as he began his career in the KHL, NHL rules ruled that he had to be placed on waivers prior to joining the Red Wings and would therefore be available at that salary to any team lower than them in the standings. He was later claimed by the New York Islanders, who were one of the worst teams in the league at the time. As he had only signed with Detroit in the hopes of playing in the playoffs this year, Nabokov decided not to join the Islanders, claiming that it didn't make a lot of sense to him why they claimed him. Nabokov was suspended by the Islanders for failing to join the team, and the team remained without him for the remainder of the season.

In August 2011, Nabokov announced that he would be heading to the New York training camp. He appeared on the team for the entire 2011-12 season, wearing the number 20, and then assumed the starting goaltender position. On October 15, 2011, he won his first match with the New York Rangers, his first appearance with the team. Nabokov won his 300th game against the Buffalo Sabres on January 14, 2012, becoming the 26th goaltender to reach the record. On March 21, 2012, he signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract extension to remain with New York for another season, followed by another one-year, $3.25 million contract for the 2013–14 season.

Since New York signed goaltenders Jaroslav Halak and Chad Johnson in the 2014 off-season, it became clear that they did not have no intention to re-sign Nabokov. He signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning worth $1.55 million on July 1, 2014. After a record of 3–6–2 as the team's backup goaltender to Ben Bishop, he was put on waivers about the midpoint of the season, February 1, 2015. Following his waivers' clear, it was unclear if he'd report to Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate or consider retirement. Nabokov was recalled by the Sharks on February 9, 2015, for "future considerations." On February 11, 2015, he announced his resignation.

Post-playing career

Nabokov joined the Sharks as a goaltender and scout in September 2015; in comparison to the Sharks, he spent with the goaltenders on the team's AHL affiliate San Jose Barracuda. Nabokov was named the Sharks' goaltending coach under interim coach Bob Boughner on December 11, 2019, after head coach Peter DeBoer and his assistants were fired.

International career

At the 1994 World Championships C Pool, Nabokov competed for the first time in international tournaments with Kazakhstan. In three games as Kazakhstan finished fourth in the tournament, he appeared in three games. This appearance will have banned Nabokov from participating in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Russia. Despite Nabokov's appeal to play, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) bylaws stated that players cannot represent two separate nations after the age of 18; as Nabokov was 19 during his appearance with Kazakhstan, he was unable to participate for Russia.

At the 2006 Winter Olympics, the IIHF gave Nabokov an exemption to compete for Russia. As the Russians finished fourth, Nabokov would appear in seven games during the Olympics, winning four and three shutouts. At the 2008 World Championships, he next represented Russia. In the gold medal game, Nabokov defeated Canada 5-4 after posting back-to-back shut-outs. He was named to the tournament's all-star squad and named best goaltender.

After the Sharks were disqualified in the NHL playoffs, Nabokov joined Russia for the 2008 IIHF World Championship, he was born in Russia. He played in five games, winning them all, and he helped Russia win their first gold medal since 1993. He was selected as the tournament's best goaltender and placed on the tournament's all-star team. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, Russia's starting goalie, Nabokov, helped Russia advance to the quarterfinals against Canada. However, he allowed four goals in the first period and was later suspended, with Russia losing 7–3. As the Russians placed sixth overall, Nabokov finished the Olympics with a record of two victories and one loss. The 2011 IIHF World Championship was his last appearance in a national tournament. Nabokov played four games for Russia, winning two and losing one before being forced to leave the tournament due to a groin injury; Russia will finish fourth.

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