Evgeni Nabokov
Kazakh-born Russian goaltender who scored an NHL goal and won the Calder Trophy.
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Dan4th Nicholas from USA · CC BY 2.0
Yevgeni Viktorovich Nabokov is a Kazakh-born Russian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, and Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as in the Russian Super League and Kontinental Hockey League. He was selected 219th overall in the 1994 NHL entry draft by San Jose and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best first-year player in 2001.
Lore & Background
Nabokov began his professional career in 1991 with his hometown team Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk, spending three seasons there before moving to Dynamo Moscow, where he won a league championship in his first year. After being drafted by the Sharks in 1994, he was not contacted until 1997, and initially hesitated to move to North America. Assigned to the AHL's Kentucky Thoroughblades, he struggled at first and considered returning to Russia, but stayed after meeting his future wife and refining his style with Sharks goaltending coach Warren Strelow. He made his NHL debut on January 1, 2000, in relief, and recorded a shutout in his first start on January 19, 2000.
In the 2000–01 season, after the starting goalie was injured, Nabokov became the starter and appeared in 66 games, earning the Calder Memorial Trophy. On March 10, 2002, he scored a goal against the Vancouver Canucks, becoming the seventh NHL goaltender to do so and the first from outside North America. He later played for the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning before retiring in 2015.
The Reluctant Draft Pick Who Became a Franchise Icon
Tim Burke, a scout for the San Jose Sharks, had set out to evaluate a different goaltender when word of a young Russian netminder reached him. That chance discovery led to Nabokov's selection 219th overall in the 1994 NHL entry draft, a pick made without the Sharks ever watching him play. They did not even reach out to him until 1997, after his third season with Dynamo Moscow, during which the club captured the league title and advanced to the European Hockey League final. Nabokov, content in Moscow, was initially unwilling to uproot his life for a minor-league assignment in Kentucky.
His parents ultimately persuaded him to give it a try. Assigned to the Kentucky Thoroughblades, the AHL affiliate, he found the transition jarring and nearly returned home. What kept him was meeting his future wife, Tabitha, and refining his craft under goaltending coach Warren Strelow. By his second year in Kentucky he was posting near-league-leading numbers, and from there his path to becoming the Sharks' all-time leader in games played, wins, and shutouts was set in motion.
Breakout Season and Elite Status
The 2000–01 campaign transformed Nabokov from a promising import into a household name. When veteran Steve Shields suffered an ankle injury in the season's second game, the 25-year-old stepped into the starting role and never looked back. Across 66 appearances he tallied 32 wins, earned a mid-season All-Star nod, and finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting. The NHL rewarded him with the Calder Memorial Trophy as its top rookie and a spot on the All-Rookie team.
The following year he added 37 wins and seven shutouts, and on March 10, 2002, he etched his name into a rare historical list: he scored a goal against the Vancouver Canucks, becoming the first European-born goaltender to do so and the first netminder to score on the power play. Over his first nine seasons in San Jose he led the franchise in virtually every goaltending statistical category. Publications such as ESPN The Magazine and The Hockey News routinely ranked him among the league's top five or ten goalies. At retirement he stood 18th on the all-time NHL regular-season wins list, and in 2008 he was named a Vezina Trophy finalist, capping a career that saw him regarded as one of the sport's elite between the pipes.
A Goalie Between Nations
Born on July 25, 1975, in the Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, Nabokov carried a dual identity that shaped his international career in an unusual way. He first represented Kazakhstan on the world stage at the 1994 World Championships Group C tournament, playing for the nation of his birth. Yet his professional club career unfolded almost entirely within Russia: he began with hometown side Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk from 1991 to 1994, then spent three seasons with Dynamo Moscow, where he won a league championship, before later stints with Metallurg Magnitogorsk and SKA Saint Petersburg in the Russian Super League and Kontinental Hockey League.
It was not until 2006 that he donned the Russian national jersey, a switch that opened the door to the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. His crowning international moment came at the 2008 World Championships, where Russia claimed the gold medal. The trajectory of his international allegiance—Kazakhstan first, then Russia—reflects the complex sporting identities left in the wake of the Soviet Union's dissolution, and it made him a rare figure who embodied two distinct national programs over the course of his career.
From Net to Coaching Booth
Nabokov's playing career spanned an impressive 24 seasons, from his 1991 debut with Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk through his final NHL appearances in 2015. In North America he suited up for the San Jose Sharks, the New York Islanders, and the Tampa Bay Lightning. His relationship with San Jose was especially defining: after a brief 2010 departure to SKA Saint Petersburg in Russia, he returned to the NHL and ultimately concluded his playing days within the league. The Sharks rewarded his long tenure with a four-year extension worth roughly 21.5 million dollars in 2006, a deal that included a no-trade clause contingent on the team reaching the playoffs.
After hanging up his skates, Nabokov did not step far from the game. He joined the Sharks organization as a development coach, mentoring the next generation of netminders, and in 2019 he was elevated to the role of goaltending coach for the team. His journey from a 219th-round draft pick who had never been seen play by the team that selected him, to a franchise icon, to the man standing behind the bench guiding young goalies, represents one of the more complete arcs in modern hockey.
Reader's Guide
Nabokov is notable as one of the top goaltenders of his era, having won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2001 and being a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2008. Over his first nine NHL seasons, all with San Jose, he became the franchise leader in games played, wins, and shutouts. At retirement, he ranked 18th in all-time NHL regular season wins.
He scored a goal in 2002, the seventh goaltender in NHL history to do so and the first non-North American. Internationally, he first played for Kazakhstan at the 1994 World Championships Group C, then later represented Russia, winning a gold medal at the 2008 World Championships and playing in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. After retiring, he became a development coach for the Sharks and was named goaltending coach for the team in 2019.
Career statistics and honours
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 and honours
NHL
| 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
| Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Sharks Player of the Year | 2001, 2008 |
| Sharks Rookie of the Year | 2001 |
| Three Stars of the Game Award | 2010 |
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Evgeni Nabokov (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Evgeni Nabokov?
Evgeni Nabokov is a Kazakh-born Russian former NHL goaltender who spent a significant stretch of his career with the New York Islanders. He is widely regarded as one of the most reliable netminders of his generation.
What made Evgeni Nabokov famous beyond just stopping pucks?
Nabokov is one of the rare goaltenders in NHL history to actually score a goal, a feat that made him a household name across the league. He also earned a Vezina Trophy nomination in 2008, underscoring his elite status among his peers.
What major awards did Evgeni Nabokov win?
He took home the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2001, recognizing him as the NHL's top rookie that year. A Vezina Trophy finalist nod in 2008 further highlighted his consistency at the highest level.
How did Evgeni Nabokov enter the NHL draft?
The San Jose Sharks selected him 219th overall in the 9th round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. Despite being a deep-late pick, he rose to become one of the most decorated goalies of his era.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Evgeni Nabokov (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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