So.....

[cyrano]

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.

Comments

[mirrorballmoon.livejournal.com]

He still has to clear waivers before it's official. But apparently now he will! AUGH.

This means I will be watching the Wings. Uuuugh. I feel shame.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

If loving Nabby is wrong, then I don't wanna be right.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

But apparently now he will!

Really? Bob McKenzie thinks the Islanders have probably put a claim on him.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Aside from "Doug's brother" I have no idea who this is, but fingers crossed that he's right.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

He's one of the hockey experts with TSN, and seems to be a pretty astute guy on hockey rumors.

Actually, a ton of people I read on Twitter don't think Nabby is going to clear waivers. Thing is, if he is claimed, he doesn't have to report, meaning he still has some control over who he plays with--he might not play for anyone. And his contract is such that if he does report somewhere, the team could be stuck with him for the rest of the season, because he has a No Movement Clause (can't be traded, can't be waived, can't be sent to the AHL without his consent). He's also made it clear that he's coming back to start, not be a backup.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

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.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I typed too fast. The edit addresses some of that. (:

[tersa.livejournal.com]

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.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

This is comprehensive and awesome.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. :)

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.