Evgeni Nabokov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Evgeni Nabokov |
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Nabokov with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014
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| Born | July 25, 1975 Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk Dynamo Moscow San Jose Sharks Metallurg Magnitogorsk SKA Saint Petersburg New York Islanders Tampa Bay Lightning |
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| National team |  Kazakhstan and Russia |
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| NHL Draft | 219th overall, 1994 San Jose Sharks |
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| Playing career | 1991–2015 | ||
Evgeni Viktorovich Nabokov (born July 25, 1975) is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played for many teams, including the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, and Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League (NHL). He also played in Russia for teams like Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk and HC Dynamo Moscow. His career lasted from 1991 to 2015.
People often called him "Nabby". The San Jose Sharks picked him in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. Nabokov was known as one of the best goalies in the NHL. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2001 as the best first-year player. He was also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2008, which is given to the best goaltender. After retiring as a player, Nabokov became a coach for the Sharks.
During his nine seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Nabokov set many team records. He led the team in games played, wins, and shutouts (games where the opposing team scores no goals). When he retired, he had the eighteenth most regular season wins in NHL history. In 2002, he even scored a goal during a game! He was only the seventh goalie in NHL history to do this.
Nabokov was born in Kazakhstan, which was then part of the Soviet Union. He first played for the Kazakhstan men's national ice hockey team. Later, he joined the Russia men's national ice hockey team. He played for Russia in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. He also helped Russia win a gold medal at the 2008 World Championships.
Contents
Playing Career: Evgeni Nabokov's Journey in Hockey
Early Years in Russia and Moving to North America
Nabokov started his hockey career with his hometown team, Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk, in 1991. He played there for three years. In 1994, the San Jose Sharks picked him in the NHL Draft. A scout for the Sharks heard about Nabokov while looking at other players. The Sharks didn't even see him play before drafting him.
After leaving his hometown team, Nabokov joined HC Dynamo Moscow. He played there for three seasons. In his first year with Dynamo, his team won the league championship. The Sharks contacted him in 1997 and offered him a contract to play in North America.
Nabokov loved playing for Dynamo Moscow and didn't want to leave. But his parents told him to go to North America. He was sent to the Kentucky Thoroughblades, a minor league team for the Sharks. It was hard for him to get used to the new country and style of hockey. He almost went back to Russia in his first year. But he decided to stay after meeting his future wife and improving his game.
Becoming a Star with the San Jose Sharks
Nabokov started the 1999–2000 season with another minor league team, the Cleveland Lumberjacks. After playing 20 games there, he was called up to the San Jose Sharks. He became the backup goalie for the team. Nabokov played his first NHL game on January 1, 2000. He made his first start on January 19 and got his first shutout.
In the second game of the 2000–01 season, the Sharks' main goalie got hurt. This made Nabokov the starting goalie. He played in 66 games and won 32 of them. He was chosen to play in the mid-season All-Star Game. Nabokov won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie player that year. He also finished fourth in voting for the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie.
He had another great season in 2001–02, winning 37 games. On March 10, 2002, he made history by scoring a goal against the Vancouver Canucks. He was the first European goalie to score a goal in the NHL. He was also the first goalie to score a goal while his team was on a powerplay.
At the start of the 2002–03 season, Nabokov had a contract disagreement with the Sharks. He felt he deserved more money. He missed five games before signing a new two-year contract. Both Nabokov and the Sharks had a tough season that year. The team missed the playoffs for the first time in six years.
Things got better in 2003–04. Nabokov's 31 wins helped the team reach the playoffs again. They made it to the third round, which was a team record at the time. He signed another two-year contract extension in 2004.
Nabokov was seen as one of the best goalies in the NHL. However, the 2005–06 season was not his best. His save percentage (how many shots he stopped) was lower than usual. He became the backup goalie for a while. Despite this, he signed a new four-year contract in 2006. This contract included a "no-trade clause" if the Sharks made the playoffs.
In the 2006–07 season, Nabokov shared the starting goalie duties. He played in 49 games for the Sharks. He helped the Sharks win their first playoff series that year.
During the 2007–08 season, Nabokov started the first 43 games for the Sharks. He was recognized as one of the NHL's "Three Stars" in December 2007. He also won the "Sharks Player of the Month" award nine times, which is a team record.
Nabokov played in his second NHL All-Star Game on January 27, 2008. He stopped all eight shots he faced in his period. On May 4, during a playoff game, Nabokov made an amazing glove save. He slid across the net and caught the puck just before it crossed the goal line. This save is still talked about as one of the best ever.
Nabokov won 41 games for San Jose in the 2008–09 season. The team finished first in their conference. But they were surprisingly knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. On October 17, 2009, he played his 500th game, all with the Sharks. On February 11, 2010, Nabokov stopped a career-high 50 shots in a game. This was also his 11th straight road victory, an NHL record.
Later Career: New Teams and Retirement
After the 2009-10 season, the Sharks told Nabokov they couldn't offer him a new contract. This was because of the NHL's salary cap (a limit on how much teams can spend on players). He became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team. Since no NHL teams offered him a contract, he signed with SKA St. Petersburg in Russia. The deal was reportedly for a lot of money over four years.
Nabokov had a tough time in Russia. After 22 games, his team let him go in December. They said it was for "family reasons." He struggled with his goals against average (how many goals he let in per game) and save percentage.
Nabokov then signed with the Detroit Red Wings in January 2011. The Red Wings were a top team, and he signed for a lower salary to join them. However, because he had started the season in Russia, NHL rules said he had to be put on "waivers." This meant any team lower in the standings could claim him at that low salary. The New York Islanders, one of the worst teams, claimed him.
Nabokov didn't want to join the Islanders because he wanted to play for a playoff team. The Islanders suspended him for not joining. He sat out the rest of the 2010–11 season.
In August 2011, Nabokov decided to report to the Islanders' training camp. He played for them for the entire 2011–12 season. He became their starting goalie. On January 14, 2012, Nabokov got his 300th career win. He was the 26th goalie in NHL history to reach this milestone. He signed two more one-year contracts to stay with the Islanders.
In 2014, the Islanders signed new goalies, so it was clear Nabokov wouldn't be re-signed. On July 1, 2014, he signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played 11 games as their backup goalie. In February 2015, he was put on waivers again. On February 9, 2015, he was traded back to the Sharks. Two days later, on February 11, 2015, Evgeni Nabokov announced his retirement from playing hockey.
Post-Playing Career: Coaching Role
After retiring as a player, Nabokov stayed in hockey. In September 2015, he became a goaltending development coach and scout for the Sharks. He worked with goalies for both the Sharks and their minor league team. On December 11, 2019, Nabokov was named the Sharks' main goaltending coach.
International Career: Representing His Countries
 Nabokov at the 2010 Winter Olympics |
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Russia |
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| Men's ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2008 Russia | Ice hockey |
Nabokov first played for his home country, Kazakhstan, in 1994. He played in three games at the World Championships. Because he played for Kazakhstan after turning 18, he was not allowed to play for Russia in the 2002 Winter Olympics. International rules say players can't represent two different countries after a certain age.
However, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) later allowed Nabokov to play for Russia in the 2006 Winter Olympics. He played seven games for Russia, helping them finish fourth. He then represented Russia at the 2008 World Championships. Nabokov played very well, helping Russia win their first gold medal since 1993. He was named the best goaltender of the tournament.
Nabokov was the starting goalie for Russia at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Russia reached the quarterfinals against Canada. But he was pulled from the game after letting in four goals, and Russia lost. His last international tournament was the 2011 IIHF World Championship. He played four games before an injury forced him to leave.
Personal Life: Beyond the Rink
Evgeni Nabokov was an only child. He was born in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. His father, Viktor, was also a professional hockey goaltender. Viktor played for 18 years and later started a goalie school that Evgeni attended. His mother, Tatyana, was an engineer. Evgeni started playing hockey at six years old, following in his father's footsteps.
When he first moved to North America in 1997, Nabokov used the name "John." He thought it would be easier for English speakers to pronounce.
Nabokov met his wife, Tabitha Eckler, when he was playing in Kentucky. They got married in 2001. They have two children: a daughter named Emily (born in 2004) and a son named Andrei (born in 2007).
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 1991–92 | Torpedo Ust–Kamenogorsk | CIS | 1 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 1 | 0 | 3.00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Torpedo–2 Ust–Kamenogorsk | CIS.3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Torpedo Ust–Kamenogorsk | RUS | 4 | — | — | — | — | 109 | 5 | 0 | 2.75 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Torpedo–2 Ust–Kamenogorsk | RUS.2 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Torpedo Ust–Kamenogorsk | RUS | 11 | — | — | — | — | 539 | 29 | 0 | 3.23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Dynamo Moscow | RUS | 24 | — | — | — | — | 1265 | 40 | 3 | 1.90 | — | 13 | — | — | 810 | 30 | — | 2.22 | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Dynamo–2 Moscow | RUS.2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Dynamo Moscow | RUS | 39 | — | — | — | — | 2008 | 67 | 5 | 2.00 | — | 6 | — | — | 298 | 7 | — | 1.41 | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Dynamo–2 Moscow | RUS.2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Dynamo Moscow | RSL | 27 | — | — | — | — | 1588 | 56 | 2 | 2.12 | — | 4 | — | — | 255 | 12 | 0 | 2.82 | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Dynamo–2 Moscow | RUS.3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Kentucky Thoroughblades | AHL | 33 | 10 | 21 | 2 | — | 1866 | 122 | 0 | 3.92 | .872 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 2.59 | 0 | .923 | ||
| 1998–99 | Kentucky Thoroughblades | AHL | 43 | 26 | 14 | 1 | — | 2429 | 106 | 5 | 2.62 | .909 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 599 | 30 | 2 | 3.00 | .907 | ||
| 1999–2000 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 415 | 15 | 1 | 2.17 | .910 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Cleveland Lumberjacks | IHL | 20 | 12 | 4 | 3 | — | 1164 | 52 | 0 | 2.68 | .920 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | Kentucky Thoroughblades | AHL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 120 | 3 | 1 | 1.50 | .952 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 66 | 32 | 21 | 7 | — | 3700 | 135 | 6 | 2.19 | .915 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 218 | 10 | 1 | 2.75 | .903 | ||
| 2001–02 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 67 | 37 | 24 | 5 | — | 3901 | 149 | 7 | 2.29 | .918 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 712 | 31 | 0 | 2.61 | .904 | ||
| 2002–03 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 55 | 19 | 28 | 8 | — | 3227 | 1415 | 3 | 2.71 | .906 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 59 | 31 | 19 | 8 | — | 3456 | 127 | 9 | 2.20 | .921 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 1053 | 30 | 3 | 1.71 | .935 | ||
| 2004–05 | Metallurg Magnitogorsk | RSL | 14 | — | — | — | — | 808 | 27 | 3 | 2.00 | .927 | 5 | — | — | 307 | 13 | 0 | 2.53 | .915 | ||
| 2005–06 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 45 | 16 | 19 | — | 7 | 2575 | 133 | 1 | 3.10 | .885 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 5.00 | .750 | ||
| 2006–07 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 50 | 25 | 16 | — | 4 | 2778 | 106 | 7 | 2.29 | .914 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 701 | 26 | 1 | 2.23 | .920 | ||
| 2007–08 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 77 | 46 | 21 | — | 8 | 4561 | 163 | 6 | 2.14 | .910 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 853 | 31 | 1 | 2.18 | .907 | ||
| 2008–09 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 62 | 41 | 12 | — | 8 | 3687 | 150 | 7 | 2.44 | .910 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 362 | 17 | 0 | 2.82 | .890 | ||
| 2009–10 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 71 | 44 | 16 | — | 10 | 4195 | 170 | 3 | 2.43 | .922 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 890 | 38 | 1 | 2.56 | .907 | ||
| 2010–11 | SKA St. Petersburg | KHL | 22 | 8 | 8 | — | 5 | 1230 | 62 | 2 | 3.02 | .888 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | New York Islanders | NHL | 42 | 19 | 18 | — | 3 | 2378 | 101 | 2 | 2.55 | .914 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | New York Islanders | NHL | 41 | 23 | 11 | — | 7 | 2476 | 103 | 3 | 2.50 | .910 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 325 | 24 | 0 | 4.44 | .842 | ||
| 2013–14 | New York Islanders | NHL | 40 | 15 | 14 | — | 8 | 2255 | 103 | 4 | 2.74 | .905 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 11 | 3 | 6 | — | 2 | 554 | 29 | 0 | 3.15 | .882 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| CIS/RUS/RSL/KHL totals | 142 | — | — | — | — | 7,567 | 287 | 16 | 2.28 | — | 28 | — | — | 1,670 | 62 | — | 2.23 | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 697 | 353 | 227 | 29 | 57 | 40,152 | 1,630 | 59 | 2.44 | .911 | 86 | 42 | 42 | 5,144 | 208 | 7 | 2.43 | .908 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Kazakhstan | WC C | 3 | — | — | — | 140 | 6 | — | 2.57 | .857 | |
| 2006 | Russia | OG | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 359 | 8 | 3 | 1.34 | .940 | |
| 2008 | Russia | WC | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | 303 | 9 | 2 | 1.78 | .929 | |
| 2010 | Russia | OG | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 144 | 10 | 0 | 4.16 | .853 | |
| 2011 | Russia | WC | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 200 | 12 | 0 | 3.60 | .880 | |
| Senior totals | 19 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1006 | 39 | 5 | 2.33 | .909 | |||
Awards
NHL Awards
| Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Calder Memorial Trophy | 2001 |
| NHL All-Rookie team | 2001 |
| NHL All-Star Game | 2001, 2008 |
| NHL first All-Star team | 2008 |
San Jose Sharks Team Awards
| Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Sharks Player of the Year | 2001, 2008 |
| Sharks Rookie of the Year | 2001 |
| Three Stars of the Game Award | 2010 |
