Evgeni Nabokov

Template: Infobox ice hockey player / file type

Yevgeny Viktorovich Nabokov (Russian: Евгений Викторович Набоков; born July 25, 1975 in Ust- Kamenogorsk, Kazakh SSR ) is a Russian- Kazakh professional ice hockey goaltender who stands in January 2011 with the New York Islanders in the National Hockey League contract.

• 2.1 International

• 3.1 International

Career

Junior time and Dynamo Moscow (until 1997)

Nabokov played during his junior time in his hometown of Torpedo Ust- Kamenogorsk, where at the age of 16, he was in the 1991/92 season his debut in the Wysschaja League, the highest Russian league. Next to him was with Vitaly Jeremejew another Kazakh goalkeeper talent in the squad. After three years in the first team squad and a Kazakh champion title in the game year 1993/94 he was in the NHL Entry Draft in 1994 in the ninth round at position 219 - selected by the San Jose Sharks - and thus shortly after his teammate Jeremejew. After the draft, he signed with the HK Dynamo Moscow in the MHL, where he regularly came into use, and in his second title of the IHL - master and in the third year there won the title of IHL Cup winner. In addition, he played with the team in the season 1996/97, as amended by the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF called into being European Hockey League. The native Kazakh, who was named the best goalkeeper of the competition, led his team to the finals, where, however, the Finnish representative TPS Turku subject.

The San Jose Sharks (1997-2010)

After three years at Dynamo Nabokov moved in summer 1997 to North America.

There he came in the American Hockey League with the Kentucky Thoroughblades used, which then acted as a farm team of the San Jose Sharks. After he had spent there two complete seasons, he completed on 1 January 2000 his first game for the San Jose Sharks in the NHL when he was substituted 15 minutes before the end of the game for Steve Shields. On 19th January, he was allowed the first time are from the start between the posts. Against the Colorado Avalanche score after 60 minutes still 0-0 and in the five minutes extension changed no difference. So he celebrated in his first game his first shutout, but by the end of the season he was still only eleven games. As of the 2000 /01 season, he was ranked No. 1 in the Sharks. For San Jose had invested a lot in the summer. Both the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets were compensated with a total of two players and four draft picks, so they can choose not to select the unprotected in the expansion draft goalie. He completed his rookie season in 66 games, managed six shutouts and 32 wins, played in the NHL All-Star Game and received at the end of the season to pay the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie of the year. He is the only one not born in North America goalkeeper, which was bestowed this honor. The following season was similarly positive, and again with the Sharks, Nabokov was able to move into the playoffs, but did not succeed in the season 2002 /03. Even before the season, Nabokov had fought for better pay and was therefore entered into a so-called holdout shortly before the season started. After a few games, the management of San Jose, however, had found that they were very dependent on the performance of naturalized Russians now and had offered him a new contract on improved terms. However, in the 2003/04 season, the Sharks reported back. Nabokov played after the botched last year a very good season and showed in the playoffs with an outstanding performance. However, in the Conference Finals was the last stop.

As the NHL season 2004/ 05 failed due to the lockout, Nabokov moved back for the season to Russia and joined the HK Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Super League to. For the club he showed in 14 main rounds and five playoff games solid performances. For the 2005/06 season the goalkeeper returned to the NHL, but played the worst year of his career. Especially in the second half of the season he could not retrieve its performance potential and was Vesa Toskala from the Finns displaced as number 1. Nevertheless, he signed in February 2006 a new contract for four years with a total salary of 21.5 million U.S. dollars. After Toskala had committed several errors in the playoffs, which led to the resignation in the second round, both started as equal first-choice goalkeeper in the 2006/07 season and alternated regularly. Nabokov presented itself again in very good shape. When Toskala injured in February 2007, Nabokov was at his best managed within four games three shutouts and finally resumed the post of goalkeeper.

In the summer of 2007, the management of the San Jose Sharks finally decided to give one of their two goalkeepers. Since the choice fell on Toskala and with Dimitri Paetzold initially only a moderately talented goalkeeper was in the squad for the 2007 /08 season, the native Kazakh received unquestioned position in the goal. Due to his achievements in the course of the season he was after seven years for the first time invited to the NHL All-Star Game and was at the end of season one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy winning the. In the election, however, he lost to Martin Brodeur, but he could gouge in the naming of the NHL First All -Star team. The following two years he was the goalkeeper of the Sharks and managed as a second goalkeeper ever in three consecutive seasons of at least 40 victories to celebrate.

Change in the KHL and return to North America (2010-2011)

In July 2010, Nabokov left after eleven years, the San Jose Sharks and returned to Russia, where he received a four-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League. In St. Petersburg, the Russian national team goalkeeper was unable to repeat his form of previous years and had in his 22 season inserts a Gegentorschnitt of 3.02 at a catch rate of 88.8 percent. Since the team was left in total far below expectations, Nabokov dissolved in December 2010 after only five months of his contract with SKA on. After a few weeks as a contract -free player, he returned on January 20, 2011 Back to North America when he signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings. However, Nabokov had, according to the NHL rules for 24 hours to spend on the waiver list, from where it could choose any of the other 29 teams. Ultimately secured the New York Islanders - as in the table schlechtplatziertestes team that showed interest - on 22 January, the services of the goalkeeper. However, this initially refused to play for the Islanders, after which these suspended him three days later until further notice. His NHL debut for the Islanders, he finally gave on October 15, 2011 in the game against the New York Rangers.

On January 14, 2012 Nabokov reached than 26 players in the NHL history the milestone of 300 career victories during the regular season.

Internationally

Although Nabokov is a Russian citizen, was denied him IIHF long for the Russian national team to play because he had gone as a junior player for Kazakhstan at the World Ice Hockey Championships in 1994 on the ice by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Only in 2005, the IIHF allowed him to play for Russia. Therefore, he participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin in part, where he was able to celebrate three shutouts and get five wins in seven games. The Russian team finished fourth after losing to the Czech Republic. In 2008 he played his first World Cup games in 14 years, although he had already been at the Ice Hockey World Championship 2005 in the Russian squad. Nabokov joined at the World Championships to his performance from the previous NHL season, after he had reached the beginning of the second round of the team. With two shutouts in the quarter and semi-finals and great saves in the final, he was instrumental in the first world title of the Russians involved since the championships in 1993. He was elected by his performance in the All-Star team in the world championship, and honored as the best goalkeeper. Similarly, the native Kazakh was nominated for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. As a re- choice goalkeeper, he was with his fluctuating performances responsible for the quarter -final of the Russians.

In addition, Nabokov had been called into the squad Russia for the World Cup of Hockey 2004. Since it was not an organized regularly by the World Association tournament, the Russians took no official permission to start the IIHF. Due to an injury, however, he had to cancel participation.

Awards and achievements

• 2001 Seagate Technology " Sharks Player of the Year" Award
• 2001 PlayStation " Sharks Rookie of the Year " Award
• 2002 NHL Player of the Month in February
• 2004 NHL Defensive Player of the Month in February
• 2008 NHL All-Star Game
• 2008, Seagate Technology " Sharks Player of the Year" Award
• 2008 NHL First All -Star Team
• 2009 Honored Master of Sports of Russia

Internationally

• 2008 Gold medal at the World Championships
• 2008 Best Goalkeeper of World Cup
• 2008 All- Star Team of the World Cup

Career Stats

Internationally

Represented in Kazakhstan:

• C World Cup 1994

Represented Russia at:

• World Championship 2005
• 2006 Winter Olympics
• World Championship 2008
• 2010 Winter Olympics
• World Cup 2011

( Key to the goalkeeper stats: GP or Sp = Total Games; W or W = Wins, L = Losses, or N, T or D = Draw or shootout defeat, min = minutes; SOG or ZAT = Shots on goal, GA or GT = Goals against; SO = shutouts, GAA or GTS = Gegentorschnitt; Sv % or SVS % = quota, EN = Empty Net Goal; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )