January 29, 2011, HockeyPrimeTime.com NHL Atlantic Division notebook examining Islanders-Nabokov saga

Nabokov's stance may hamper his objective

Atlantic

Written by Denis Gorman

Saturday, January 29, 2011 09:00

The goaltender says he wants to play for a Cup contender, which is why he won't report to the Islanders. Championship teams, however, are made up of selfless players. How’s this for a scenario: You are out of a job. A struggling employer decides to take a risk on you. You’ll earn half-a-million dollars for less than a half year’s work, in a job that you’ll be one of only 60 men in the world can do. But you pass on the job because you’re not enamored with the employer. Ridiculous, right? AROUND THE ATLANTIC That’s where Evgeni Nabokov and the New York Islanders find themselves now, after the goaltender would not report to the team that claimed him on waivers last weekend. Nabokov, who had previously agreed to a deal with Detroit, was predictably unhappy when the Islanders claimed him off waivers from the Red Wings last Saturday. Detroit has a legitimate shot at winning The Cup this spring, while the Islanders are well-positioned for the first overall pick in the next Entry Draft. What was unpredictable was Nabokov’s response. The Islanders claimed that Nabokov hung up when Snow called his cell phone, while the goaltender told ESPN.com that “it's nothing against the Islanders and their organization. It's nothing to do with that. It's just that I'm at the point in my career where I want to help a team win in the playoffs. I don't see how I could help the Islanders or what I could do for them.” The organization announced Tuesday afternoon that it had suspended Nabokov. The Islanders hold all the cards. If Nabokov truly wants to play in the NHL this season, he will have to report to Uniondale. If and when he reports, the Islanders will be in the situation of having two NHL-caliber goaltenders in Nabokov and Rick DiPietro. More importantly, the club may have the opportunity to try to obtain a prospect or young NHLer or a draft pick for Nabokov as it continues its eternal rebuild. Nabokov's resume reveals a very good regular-season goalie who has not won anything noteworthy, save for the Calder Trophy after the 2000-01 campaign. Nabokov’s record is 293-178-66 in 563 NHL games, along with a .912 save percentage and 2.39 goals against. Impressive. Less impressive is his playoff record: 40-38 in 80 NHL playoff games, all with the San Jose Sharks. As HPT.com’s Justin Bourne wrote for Deadspin.com, there had to be a reason that the NHL’s perpetual bridesmaids allowed him to walk away as a free agent. Even more damning, there had to be a reason that 30 NHL franchises were unwilling to pay the man a fortune to tend their goals over the summer, leaving Nabokov to ply his trade in the Kontinental Hockey League. And it’s not as if his play for the St. Petersburg SKA was sparkling. Unless you’re among those that are impressed by an .888 save percentage and a 3.02 goals against in 22 games (8-8-5). Moreover, Nabokov’s petulance may hurt his character in the eyes of NHL general managers and potential teammates. Hockey is a sport whose ethos is based on hard work and sacrificing for the greater good. All Nabokov has shown in this saga is his abject selfishness – not the character profile of someone whose name gets engraved on the Stanley Cup. Notes The Flyers won the 1,000th home game in franchise history Tuesday night, topping Montreal 5-2. “Having personally attended nearly every one of these glorious victories, it certainly is impressive to be the first NHL expansion team to reach 1,000 regular-season home victories. This achievement is a true testament to the many men who have put on the orange and black and proudly wore the Flyers famous logo for nearly 45 years,” owner Ed Snider said in a statement. “This milestone is representative of Flyers Hockey. We want our home to be a very tough place for our opponents to play.” … The Penguins announced that superstar centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will miss the All-Star Weekend. … Even after winning six of seven games, the Devils still have the NHL’s worst record at 16-29-3. … Interim coach Jacques Lemaire told the Newark Star-Ledger that he will not return in that role for the 2011-12 season. … Despite a 4-3 loss to Florida Tuesday, the Rangers entered the break with 61 points and believe they are positioned well for a second half surge. Photos by Getty Images

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