Evgeny Namestnikov

Did You Know?

• Namestnikov moved from Russia to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1993 with his wife and eight-month-old son, Vladislav.
• His son Vladislav has played for the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning and currently the Winnipeg Jets.
• Namestnikov is the brother-in-law of former NHL player Slava Kozlov.

Playing career

Evgeny Namestnikov was picked 117th in the 1991 NHL draft by the Vancouver Canucks. He stayed in Russia with CSKA Moscow for two more years before heading to North America in 1993–94. Small for a defenseman, he made up for it with a rough, physical style and could deliver punishing open-ice hits. He got called up partway through that first season and impressed right away for about ten games, but then his play dropped off and he was sent down to the AHL. That cycle repeated over his four years with the Canucks: he would come up, make an immediate mark with his hitting, but his size and occasional poor decisions would lead to another demotion. In 1997–98 he left as a free agent to join the New York Islanders, but he only suited up for two NHL games in two seasons there. After a short time in the New York Rangers organization, he was traded to the Nashville Predators, where he played his last two NHL games in 1999–2000. Once Nashville let him go in 2001, he went back to Russia and played five more years before hanging up his skates in 2006. In total, he played 43 NHL games, notching 9 assists and 24 penalty minutes, plus two playoff games with Vancouver without any points.