Apparently the Red Wings signed Nabokov on Thursday. The Sharks didn't want him, which is a shame, and I hope that works out for them. But I really didn't want any reason to feel kindly toward the Things.
I haven't heard anything about whether he wanted to leave SJ, whether he wants to play in the New Russian Hockey Federation, if he wants back into the NHL... Has he spoken publically to this? I know he's shy.
He did not want to leave SJ. He did sign over in the KHL (with St. Petersburg) but contrary to reports I heard at the time, he did not move his family over there, and "missing his family desperately" (Drew Remenda's words) is what he cited as the reason he and the team mutually terminated the contract.
Doing so made him a free agent again, and he came back to the U.S. (he's hanging out here in his San Jose home) with the intention of finding a spot in the NHL.
Problem of course being what is going on right now, with having to go through and clear waivers, and he is now the third player in the last month to leave the KHL and sign an NHL contract--and the first two (Marek Svatos and Kyle Wellwood, both signed by St. Louis) did not clear waivers, being snatched up by another team (Nashville and San Jose, respectively).
The interesting thing is that all three have signed these dirt cheap contracts (<$600K/season, which is then prorated to half that because most teams are 45-50 games into the season), which makes them low-risk pickups for teams with a need and not a lot of cap space.
There was speculation that Tampa was in conversations with Nabby just prior to the Svatos deal, and that when he didn't clear waivers, it scared Yzerman off--so he went out and traded (the sure thing) for Dwayne Roloson instead.
I think Detroit went into this knowing it was going to be a crapshoot.
Also, noon EST has come and gone, and TSN is reporting the Islanders claimed him. Which isn't to say multiple teams didn't put in a bid, but that the Islanders had the worst record of the lot.
Since they're not a contender, I have a strong suspicion Nabby might tell them to get bent.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 04:36 pm (UTC)Has he spoken publically to this? I know he's shy.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 04:43 pm (UTC)Doing so made him a free agent again, and he came back to the U.S. (he's hanging out here in his San Jose home) with the intention of finding a spot in the NHL.
Problem of course being what is going on right now, with having to go through and clear waivers, and he is now the third player in the last month to leave the KHL and sign an NHL contract--and the first two (Marek Svatos and Kyle Wellwood, both signed by St. Louis) did not clear waivers, being snatched up by another team (Nashville and San Jose, respectively).
The interesting thing is that all three have signed these dirt cheap contracts (<$600K/season, which is then prorated to half that because most teams are 45-50 games into the season), which makes them low-risk pickups for teams with a need and not a lot of cap space.
There was speculation that Tampa was in conversations with Nabby just prior to the Svatos deal, and that when he didn't clear waivers, it scared Yzerman off--so he went out and traded (the sure thing) for Dwayne Roloson instead.
I think Detroit went into this knowing it was going to be a crapshoot.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-22 05:07 pm (UTC)Also, noon EST has come and gone, and TSN is reporting the Islanders claimed him. Which isn't to say multiple teams didn't put in a bid, but that the Islanders had the worst record of the lot.
Since they're not a contender, I have a strong suspicion Nabby might tell them to get bent.