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Lightning trade Evgeni Nabokov to Sharks, likely will announce retirement

By Vinnie Criscenzo

Dec 2, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Evgeni Nabokov (20) makes a glove save during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Sabers defeat the Lightning 2 to 1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Evgeni Nabokov (20) makes a glove save during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Sabers defeat the Lightning 2 to 1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded goaltender Evgeni Nabokov to the San Jose Sharks so he can likely retire as a Shark.

Nabby is coming home.

The San Jose Sharks have acquired goaltender Evgeni Nabokov from the Tampa Bay Lightning for future considerations. Along with that, the Sharks announced that Nabokov will make an announcement on Wednesday regarding his future. He is expected to announce his retirement.

Nabokov signed a one-year deal in the offseason with the Lightning to backup Ben Bishop in net. He has struggled to give the Lightning solid starts though in relief of Bishop. In 11 games this season with the Bolts, Nabokov went 3-6-2 with a 3.15 GAA and a .882 save percentage.

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Nabokov hasn’t played since January 12th and he seems to have lost the backup job to Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has been backing up Bishop in recent games.

So, with his playing career seemingly over, the Lightning and Sharks decided it would only be right that he return to the organization that he began his career and spent the majority of his career with so he can retire as a San Jose Shark.

Seems like something a certain French-Canadian goaltender who recently retired should have done.

Nabokov was originally drafted 129th overall by the Sharks in 1994. He spent the first 10 seasons of his NHL career with the Sharks, winning the Calder Trophy in 2001. He still is the franchise’s all-time leader in wins, saves and shutouts. Nabokov went 353-227-29-71 with a 2.44 GAA and a .911 save percentage, collecting 59 shutouts.

After Nabokov and the Sharks parted ways in 2010, he spent the first of the 2010-11 season in the KHL before agreeing to sign with the Detroit Red Wings. However, to move from the KHL to the NHL in the middle of the season, Nabokov would have to clear waivers. To Nabokov’s chagrin, he was claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders and never played for Detroit.

Nabokov refused to report to the Islanders at first, because he wanted to play for a Cup-contending team, not a team in rebuild. Eventually, he did report to the team and played for the Islanders for the next 3 seasons before signing with Tampa Bay this past offseason.

It’s a classy move by both organizations to allow Nabokov to go back to the organization he began his career with and celebrate the great career he had. Nabokov was considered one of the better goaltenders in the league during the 2000’s. Even though he was never able to win a Stanley Cup, it won’t diminish what the Russian netminder was able to achieve in the NHL.

H/T to CBS Sports and SportsNet for the information.

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