Evgeni Nabokov Suspended By New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have suspended Evgeni Nabokov for his refusal to report the team after he was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings. The 35-year-old goaltender signed a free-agent contract with the Red Wings Jan. 20, but had to pass through waivers first.

Pro Hockey Talk has a pretty good synopsis of the situation:

Now the drama gets interesting because either Nabokov can report and unhappily play for the Islanders and play out this season and walk away from the team as an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. If Nabokov chooses to stay home, however, the Islanders hold all the cards to his future. The team can then “toll” his contract until next season meaning that Nabokov will be Islanders property for the 2011-2012 season with the same $575,000 contract he initially signed with Detroit.

The situation is ugly either way as the Islanders could get an unmotivated and unhappy goalie to play for them this season making things in the locker room sketchy to say the least. Nabokov, meanwhile, could end up being stuck with a team that he doesn’t want to play for next season thus submarining his efforts to sign a more lucrative deal during the summer.

The clear best answer here is to have Nabokov report to the Islanders and just play out the string so to speak and hope that somehow the Isles might want to find a way to get him somewhere he’d rather be. Then again, Nabokov had to be aware of the possibility he might not end up with Detroit when he signed and that his ultimate wish to be a Red Wing might not come true. If Nabokov is fine with that and doesn’t mind being a hold out then he’s certainly not going to get other teams excited about trying to acquire him for next season.

Things are never dull in Long Island it seems and this latest go-round with Nabokov and Isles GM Garth Snow (including both sides playing a bizarre game of phone tag) is a prime example of that. All the Isles want is for Nabokov is to come in and play for them while Nabokov wants nothing more than to never play for the Islanders. You’d hope there’s an easier way to go about this, but with the NHL’s CBA there isn’t. Instead of phone tag, they’re playing a game of chicken to see who moves first. If nothing else, the Islanders just pressed down the accelerator.

Nabokov began this season with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He previously spent nine seasons in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks.

Report: Nabokov Not Happy, Won't Report To Islanders

Evgeni Nabokov is apparently not happy that the New York Islanders claimed him off waivers and will not report to the team.

Islanders GM Garth Snow said he talked to Nabokov’s agent, Don Meehan, but wouldn’t elaborate on the conversation, although he expects Nabokov to honour his contract.

“We haven’t talked to the player yet, we’ve left messages,” Snow said. “We’ve booked him a flight out of Oakland and we look forward to having him be a part of our organization.”

TSN reports that if Nabokov does not report the Islanders choices will either be to suspend him or place him back on waivers.

Nabokov has signed with the Detroit Red Wings, and wants to play there. NHL rules, however, stipulate that a player must clear waivers prior to returning to the league.

Nabokov became a free agent in December when he was released from his contract with Russian club SKA St. Petersburg. He had prevbiously spent 10 seasons with the San Jose Sharks.

In nine NHL seasons with San Jose, Nabokov posted a 293-178-29-37 record with a 2.39 goals-against average.

Breaking News: Islanders Claim Nabokov

According to TSN the New York Islanders have claimed goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. Nabokov originally signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings, but because he was signed from another hockey league (the KHL) he had to pass through waivers first. 

Teams lowest in the standings have priority over teams higher in the standings when it comes to a waiver claim, so the Islanders claim would have beaten out nearly every other team in the league. 

Here is what TSN had to say on the subject. 

Despite signing with the Wings, Nabokov had to clear waivers to return to the NHL. The St. Louis Blues lost both Marek Svatos and Kyle Wellwood through the same procedure earlier this season. Svatos was claimed by Nashville and Wellwood was scooped up by San Jose.

The contract Nabokov signed with the Red Wings includes a no-move clause and states that he cannot be put back on waivers without his permission. Also, he is ineligible to play in American Hockey League this season due to league rules regarding free agents coming from Europe after Decemeber 15.  

The Islanders, who recently traded number one goaltender Dwayne Roloson to the Tampa Bay Lightning now have another quality starting goalie in case Rick DiPietro's injury continues to linger. 

More when we have it.