Yevgeni Viktorovich Nabokov is a Kazakhstani-Russian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, and Tampa Bay Lightning of National Hockey League and for Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk, Dynamo Moscow, Metallurg Magnitogorsk and SKA Saint Petersburg of the Russian Super League and Kontinental Hockey League from 1991 to 2015.
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Evgeni Nabokov departed the NHL for the first time in 2010 to play for SKA Saint Petersburg in Russia, but returned soon after, and concluded his career in the NHL.
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Evgeni Nabokov first played for his hometown team, Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk, spending three years with the club from 1991 until 1994.
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The following season Evgeni Nabokov moved to join Dynamo Moscow, where he would spend the next three seasons.
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Happy to play for Dynamo Moscow, Evgeni Nabokov was initially reluctant to move to North America and play for the Sharks minor league affiliates, but decided to on the advice of his parents.
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Evgeni Nabokov made his NHL debut on January 1,2000, in relief of Shields, against the Nashville Predators.
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Evgeni Nabokov appeared in 66 games and had a record of 32 wins and 21 losses, and was named to the mid-season All-Star Game.
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In recognition of his play, Evgeni Nabokov was named the winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy as the rookie of the year, and was named to the year-end All-Rookie team; he finished fourth in voting for the Vezina Trophy for best goalie in the league.
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Evgeni Nabokov had similar success the following season, with 37 wins and 7 shutouts in 67 games, and on March 10,2002 he scored a goal against the Vancouver Canucks, both the first European goalie to do so, and the first goalie to score a powerplay goal.
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Evgeni Nabokov missed five games before the team signed him to a two-year contract worth slightly more than $3.
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Evgeni Nabokov was relegated to the role of backup goaltender behind Vesa Toskala.
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Evgeni Nabokov played all 5 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2007 NHL playoffs, helping the Sharks defeat the Nashville Predators in 5 games.
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Evgeni Nabokov was recognized as one of the "Three Stars" for the NHL in the last week of December 2007, along with Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers.
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Evgeni Nabokov holds the franchise-record for having won this award nine times.
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Evgeni Nabokov played in his second NHL All-Star Game on January 27,2008.
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Evgeni Nabokov stopped all eight shots that came at him, marking the first time since Nikolai Khabibulin's period in the 2002 game that a goalie played an All-Star period where no goals were scored.
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Evgeni Nabokov secured the scoreless period when he blocked both of Ilya Kovalchuk's shots in the last minute of the second period.
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On May 4, during game six of the 2008 NHL Playoffs Western Conference Semi-Finals, Evgeni Nabokov made what has been called one of the best glove saves in decades, when he saved a shot from Brad Richards of the Dallas Stars by sliding over from the other side of the post and gloving the puck.
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Evgeni Nabokov recorded 41 wins for San Jose during the following season as the team clinched first overall in the Western Conference and the league.
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An unrestricted free agent, Evgeni Nabokov did not see any offers from NHL teams, and so signed a contract with SKA St Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League.
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The salary was in line with demands Evgeni Nabokov had apparently been seeking, though he denied money was a factor, but rather signed because of the length of the contract.
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Once again a free agent, Evgeni Nabokov signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings on January 20,2011; the Red Wings were one of the top teams in the NHL at the time, and Evgeni Nabokov signed a contract for just $570,000 as a result.
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Evgeni Nabokov was claimed by the New York Islanders, who were one of the worst teams in the NHL at the time.
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The Islanders suspended Evgeni Nabokov for failing to join the team, and he sat out the rest of the season.
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Evgeni Nabokov got his first win with the team on October 15,2011, against the New York Rangers.
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On January 14,2012, Evgeni Nabokov recorded his 300th career win against the Buffalo Sabres, becoming the 26th goaltender to reach the milestone.
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On February 9,2015, Evgeni Nabokov was traded back to the Sharks for "future considerations".
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On December 11,2019, after head coach Peter DeBoer and his assistants were fired, Evgeni Nabokov was named the Sharks' goaltending coach under interim coach Bob Boughner.
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Evgeni Nabokov first played an international tournament with Kazakhstan at the 1994 World Championships C Pool.
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Evgeni Nabokov appeared in three games as Kazakhstan finished fourth in the tournament.
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Evgeni Nabokov next represented Russia at the 2008 World Championships.
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Evgeni Nabokov was named to the tournament's all-star team and named best goaltender.
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Evgeni Nabokov appeared in five games, winning them all, and helped Russia win their first gold medal since 1993, and was named as the tournament's best goaltender and put on the tournament all-star team.
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The starting goalie for Russia at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Evgeni Nabokov helped Russia reach the quarterfinals against Canada.
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Evgeni Nabokov, an only child, was born in Ust-Kamenogorsk, in the Kazakh SSR.
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Evgeni Nabokov's father, Viktor, was a former professional hockey goaltender who played 18 years in both Russia and Kazakhstan before he retired in 1987.
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Evgeni Nabokov first played hockey when he was six years old, taking up the same position his father had played.
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When he moved to North America in 1997, Evgeni Nabokov initially went by the name "John", fearing that English speakers might have difficulty pronouncing his name.
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Evgeni Nabokov met his wife, Tabitha Eckler, shortly after he began playing in Kentucky.
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Evgeni Nabokov was a college student and waitress at the time.
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