Evgeni Nabokov

Evgeni Viktorovich Nabokov (; born July 25, 1975 in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a member of SKA St.Petersburg in the KHL, after having played 10 years with the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League.
Nabokov was selected by San Jose in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft (9th round, 219th overall). When he started playing in North America, he went by John, rather than Evgeni,San Jose Sharks transactions 1997-2003 fearing that English speakers would have a hard time pronouncing his name. However, this change did not last.
Over nine seasons in the NHL, all with San Jose, Nabokov has become the Sharks leader in nearly every goaltending category, including games played, wins, and shutouts.2007-08 San Jose Sharks Organization Guide, pgs. 151-53
== Playing career ==
=== Russia and minor league ===
San Jose Heads Scout Tim Burke saw Nabokov on an advertisement during his trip to Russia while Burke went to scout another player. Taken late in the ninth round, the Sharks had never seen him play; rather, they were more interested in the skill of Nabokov's father, a professional goaltender who played 18 years in Kazakhstan.
=== San Jose Sharks ===
After a few years in the American Hockey League (AHL), Nabokov played his first NHL game on January 1, 2000, stopping his first four shots when he replaced Steve Shields in a game against the Nashville Predators.
On January 19, 2000, Nabokov started in his first NHL game, playing against the Colorado Avalanche and famed goalie Patrick Roy. Impressively, Nabokov stopped all 39 shots he faced in a 0-0 tie. In his first three appearances, Nabokov stopped all but one of his first 58 shots, and the one goal he allowed was when Stéphane Matteau put the puck into an empty net while Nabokov was skating to the bench on a delayed penalty.
In the second game of the 2000–01 NHL season, Shields hurt his ankle, leaving San Jose without a number one goalie. Instead of giving the job to the very well known Miikka Kiprusoff, whom the Sharks brass considered the "goalie of the future," they left Kiprusoff in the AHL so he could get more experience, and gave the starting position to Nabokov, and he ran away with it, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the Rookie of the Year. Also, he played in the 2001 All-star game and took San Jose to the playoffs.
On March 10, 2002, he became the first netminder in NHL history to score a powerplay goal, doing so against the Vancouver Canucks. 
Nabokov was considered one of the elite goaltenders in the NHL, and was often ranked as one of the top ten, if not top five goaltenders in the NHL by magazines like ESPN The Magazine and The Hockey News. However, the 2005–06 season was an off year for Nabokov. His save percentage of under .900 was a big concern to the team. More notably, he was relegated to the role of backup goaltender, in deference to a red-hot Vesa Toskala.
Nabokov is known for his excellent positioning and his ability to challenge shooters, but has been hampered by a groin injury. During the 2006–07 NHL season, Nabokov split the starting goaltending duties with Toskala. In the Sharks 82 games Nabokov started 49. Nabokov played all 5 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2007 NHL playoffs, helping the Sharks defeat the Nashville Predators in 5 games.
During the first half of the 2007–08 NHL season, Nabokov started the first 43 games for the San Jose Sharks, however on January 13, 2008 in Anaheim he received his first day off when Thomas Greiss started his first NHL game.
Nabokov was recognized as one of the 'Three Stars' for the NHL in the last week of December 2007, along with Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Jaromír Jágr of the New York Rangers.sharks.nhl.com (December 31, 2007). Nabokov, Ovechkin and Jagr Named NHL 'Three Stars' of the Week. Retrieved on January 27, 2008. In addition to that honor, Nabokov was named the “Sharks Player of the Month” by Seagate Technology in December. Since the 1996–97 season, Seagate Technology has recognized Sharks players who made contributions to further the team’s accomplishments and makes a donation of $2,500 to The Sharks Foundation on the players’ behalf. Nabokov holds the franchise-record for having won this award nine times.sharks.nhl.com (January 4, 2008). Nabokov Named Seagate Player Of The Month. Retrieved on January 27, 2008.
Nabokov played in his second NHL All-Star Game on January 27, 2008. He stopped all eight shots that came at him in the second period, making it the first time since 2002 that a goalie has played a period where no goals were scored. The last goaltender to do so was fellow Russian goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. Nabokov secured the scoreless period when he blocked both of Ilya Kovalchuk’s shots in the last minute of the second period.John Kreiser (January 27, 2008). Nabokov just perfect in All-Star outing. Retrieved on January 27, 2008. On May 4, during game six of the Western Conference Semi-Finals of the 2008 NHL Playoffs, Nabokov made what has been called one of the best glove saves in decades, when he robbed Brad Richards of the Dallas Stars of a goal by sliding over from the other side of the post and gloved the puck. The save was reviewed for several minutes before making it clear Nabokov saved it before it went over the goal line. The game, which ended in a Dallas victory, went to 4th overtime and is now the 8th longest game in NHL history.
Nabokov recorded 41 wins for the Sharks during the 2008-09 NHL Season as the Sharks clinched first overall in the Western Conference and the League. Despite this, the Sharks were eliminated in the first round of the Playoffs by the 8th seed Anaheim Ducks, marking just the fourth time that a number 8 seed defeated a number 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs.
On October 17, 2009, Nabokov played in his 500th career game -all with San Jose- and stopped 31 shots in a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders.
On February 11, 2010, Nabokov stopped a career-high 50 shots en route to a 3-2 shootout victory against the Detroit Red Wings. This was also Nabokov's 11th consecutive road victory, a new NHL record.
On June 22nd, 2010, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson confirmed that Nabokov will not be returning to San Jose as a consequence of the NHL's salary cap. The decision received mixed reviews from Sharks fans as Nabokov has been a pivotal part of the team's regular season success and is considered to be one of the team's two greatest draft picks, along with Patrick Marleau. Unfortunately, Nabokov has also taken heat for being at the center of San Jose's playoff failures and with tough decisions looming in form of major free agents Marleau, Joe Pavelski, and Devin Setoguchi, Wilson felt that keeping Nabokov was less of a priority in a cap era.
== Contracts ==
During the 2003 season, Nabokov held out, refusing to sign San Jose's proposed contract. After making only US$1 million for two years of stellar play, he wanted much more. He only missed five games before the Sharks met his demands, signing him to a two-year contract. When he finally signed a contract, he struggled to regain his form, as he had taken too long of a break. Later, he remarked that holding out was extremely unsportsmanlike, and that he would never do it again. He held to his word when he avoided arbitration by signing a two-year deal worth US $4.425 million per year in 2004, even when players comparable to him were getting more than US $6 million per year.
Despite his less-than-stellar play during the 2006 season, Nabokov was signed to a four-year contract extension worth roughly US$21.5 million. The contract had a no-trade clause that was activated on the condition that San Jose made the playoffs.
Following the end of the 2009-10 season Nabokov's extension expired and he became an unrestricted free agent. He was considered one of the "big names" available in free agency, however there was no significant interest shown in him while several teams went for less-expensive options, and on July 7th it was reported that he had signed a $24 million dollar contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, early reports varied on the length of the contract between 4 or 6 years.
== International career ==
While he is a Russian citizen, he was previously denied permission by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to play for Russia, because he had played for Kazakhstan as a 19-year-old in the 1994 World Championships. In 2005, Nabokov was granted permission to play for Russia in the IIHF World Championships, but declined. Nabokov had tried to gain the IIHF's permission to play for Russia at the 2002 Winter Olympics, but failed as there were regulations in place forbidding players from representing two different countries. He was finally allowed to play for Russia in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, after being given an exemption by the IIHF, and was named to the Russian team for the 2008 World Championships . During the 2008 World Championships he posted back-to-back shut-outs before defeating Canada 5-4 in the Gold Medal game. Team Russia won the 2008 IIHF World Championships, earning Nabokov his first gold medal.
He was named as the starting goaltender for Team Russia in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. 
Played for Kazakhstan in:
* 1994 World Championships
Played for Russia in:
* 2006 Winter Olympics
* 2008 World Championships (gold medal)
* 2010 Winter Olympics
== Awards and achievements ==
* Calder Memorial Trophy - 2001
* NHL All-Rookie Team - 2001
* NHL First All-Star Team - 2008
* NHL All-Star Game Appearances - 2001 and 2008
* Best Goalkeeper - 2008 IIHF World Championship
* Vezina Trophy Finalist - 2008
* Set an NHL record on Feb. 11, 2010 at DET when he won his 11 consecutive road game (Nov. 21, 2009 vs. ANA - Feb. 11 2010 vs. DET)
* Became only the second goalie to record 3 consecutive 40 win seasons on Mar. 27, 2010 vs. VAN
== Career statistics ==
=== Regular season ===
  	  	  	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OTL	MIN 	GA 	SO	GAA 	SV%
1997–98 	Kentucky Thoroughblades	AHL 	 	33 	10 	21 	2 	— 	1866 	122 	0 	3.92	.872
1998–99 	Kentucky Thoroughblades	AHL 	 	43 	26 	14 	1 	— 	2429 	106 	5 	2.62	.909
1999–00 	Kentucky Thoroughblades	AHL 	 	2 	1 	1 	0 	— 	120 	3 	1 	1.50	.952
1999–00 	Cleveland Lumberjacks 	IHL 	 	20 	12 	4 	3 	— 	1164 	52 	0 	2.68	.920
1999–00 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	11 	2 	2 	1 	— 	2645 	15 	1 	2.17	.910
2000–01 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	66 	32 	21 	7 	— 	3700 	135 	6 	2.19	.915
2001–02 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	67 	37 	24 	5 	— 	3901 	149 	7 	2.29	.918
2002–03 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	55 	19 	28 	8 	— 	3227 	146 	3 	2.71	.906
2003–04 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	59 	31 	19 	8 	— 	3455 	127 	9 	2.21	.921
2004–05 	Metallurg Magnitogorsk 	RSL 	 	14 	— 	— 	— 	— 	808 	27 	3 	2.00	—
2005–06 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	44 	16 	19 	— 	7 	2515 	129 	1 	3.10	.885
2006–07 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	50 	25 	16 	— 	4 	2777 	106 	7 	2.29	.914
2007–08 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	77 	46 	21 	— 	8 	4560 	163 	6 	2.14	.910
2008–09 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	62 	41 	12 	— 	8 	3686 	150 	7 	2.44	.910
2009–10 	San Jose Sharks 	NHL 	 	71 	44 	16 	— 	10 	4194 	170 	3 	2.43	.922
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	563	293	178	29	37 	32491	1294	50	2.39	.912
AHL totals	AHL totals 	AHL totals	 	78 	37 	36 	3 	— 	4415 	231 	6 	2.68	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===Playoffs===
  	  	  	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP	W 	L 	MIN 	GA 	SO	GAA 	SV%
1999–00 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	20 	10 	0 	0.00	1.000
2000–01 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	4 	1 	3 	218 	10 	1 	2.75	.903
2001–02 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	12	7 	5 	712 	31 	0 	2.61	.904
2003–04 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	17	10	7 	1052	30 	3 	1.71	.935
2005–06 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	12 	1 	0 	5.00	.750
2006–07 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	11	6 	5 	701 	26 	1 	2.23	.920
2007–08 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	13	6 	7 	853 	31 	1 	2.18	.907
2008–09 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	6 	2 	4 	362 	17 	0 	2.82	.890
2009–10 	San Jose Sharks	NHL 	 	15	8 	7 	890 	38 	1 	2.56	.907
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	80	40	39	4825	184	7 	2.29	.914
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External Links==
*
Category:Kazakh hockey players
Category:KT Ust-Kamenogorsk player
Category:Dynamo Moscow player
Category:Cleveland Lumberjacks player
Category:Kentucky Thoroughblades player
Category:San Jose Sharks players
Category:Metallurg Magnitogorsk player
Category:Member of the Kazakh National Team
Category:Member of the Russian National Team
Category:Born in 1975
Category:IIHF Player
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:1999 debut