The Nabokov Novelle

[lockedge]

I'll echo that SJ had no intentions of re-signing Nabby. They offered Philly the rights to negotiate with him before UFA season IIRC.

Anyways, I see why NYI picked Nabby up, but it really makes NYI look like a circus show. They have DiPietro, who's constantly hurt. They have three goalies in the minors...two performing poorly , and the other quite well, but he's still pretty raw. THey have Dwayne Roloson backing DiPi up in case of injury.
THen they trade Roloson away for beans, and bring up one of the struggling goalies, and then DiPi gets hurt and they bring up the good one.
Then the struggling goalie gets hurt and DiPi is forced back early.

Thus, they need a goalie and Nabby is available, but why trade Roloson if you know DiPi is frail and you don't want pressure put on your youngsters? This isn't a hindsight is 20/20 situation, it's just bad management.

So yes, Nabby is picked up and we doesn't show because he expected Detroit or some other team that's in contention to pick him up for pretty cheap. Instead, the Islanders do, and with DiPi's contract the way it is, once that guy is healthy, Nabby would be benched. So in his eyes, what's the point of playing backup for the Islanders, a team that's not going to be in the playoffs for 3-4 years? He's in the stage of his career where he wants to win a championship, and plugging away as a backup for a bad team that will only make him look worse....not a move that will land him on a contender. It will get him exiled from the league.

I mean, it's possibly the worst case scenario for Nabokov. The only positive thing is he can't be placed on waivers without his permission.

[GoalieGuild]

Again, just want to reiterate that I am not denying Nabokov's free will or saying he's not allowed to not report. I'm just saying that, when all is said and done, he could very well be saying "hindsight is 20/20 and I should have reported."

I don't claim to know him personally and I'm not claiming to know exactly what he's going through. I have no idea. I've never played in the pro's before. Everyone should know I'm smart enough to recognize that and not try to act like I'm fully understanding of what he's goign through. Nobody does but him. I'm merely offering up my opinion on the situation.

And it is because nobody else but him knows what he's going though that he hopefully looks at things from another angle and simply does what puts him in the best position to be successful beyond this year. Opportunity comes in many shapes and forms.

Yes, the waiver system screwed him over. Yes, the Isles screwed him over. Yes, the timing of everything screwed him over. Yes, the Red Wings got screwed over. Yes, because of these things, he has the right to refuse whatever comes his way. Yes, it's unfair. But it happened and it's over with and you can't change the past. Nabokov knew this could happen, he knew the waiver rules when he signed a contract with Detroit.

But aggravating the system and process further isn't going to help alleviate anything. Not reporting only damages things. There's a very slim chance he gets another opportunity by being this way. Reporting only improves things. There's a much better chance he gets another opportunity by going to the Islanders.

It has nothing to do with morals or right or wrong at this point. It's simply a matter of opportunity. That's what I've said since the beginning. That's all I care about as a scout and goalie analyst. Yes, I threw in a lot of my personal opinions and "I would do this if it were me" stuff...but so did we all.

At the end of the day, what we all want to know is WHAT CAN HE DO TO GET ON A GOOD TEAM and once again become a fantasy value??????? If I owned Nabokov, what would I want him to do??????

Report. For the sake of all things just report already!! LOL.

[Bomm Bastic]

He came back to the US for family reasons. Obviously knowing that there were going to be possibilities of playing in the NHL again.

Problem w/that is he's still in Russia, and plans on staying there unless something changes with the Islanders situation.

[MT319]

What? This guy asks me "what I'm smoking" because I say "San Jose is a playoff contender" and I'm out of line?

Simple reality

A.) San Jose is a legitimate playoff contender who also beat Detroit of all teams en route to the Western Conference finals last season. If Detroit is a playoff contender then San Jose is a playoff contender.

B.) Nabakov could have easily signed in San Jose on a one year deal for at least equal to, if not double what he signed for Detroit with at 575K..as well most any other "contender" in the league.

C.) If his priority was to play for a contender and win a cup then he shouldn't have signed a 4 year deal in the KHL.

...I understand him not wanting to play for the Isles since by the time he finds his game the season will be over but it's the guys own fault for putting the KHL and garnering a hefty paycheck above playing for a solid NHL contender and making another cup run...sorry man, but the guy can't have it both ways.

[93213]

The thing I don't get is why Meehan sent out a message to all teams saying that Nabby would report to any team as long as he had a shot at being a starter. Why not say he would only report to a playoff team. Also, before claiming him, why wouldn't Snow make a phone call and ask Meehan if he thought Nabby would play.

One interesting thing is that the Isles seem to be the only team without a ton of Meehan clients. Only Shremp and Bailey I think. If Tavares were a client Meehan could always phone snow and theaten an awful contract negotiation when it comes up unless he waives Nabby.

Can the Isles trade Nabby next season without waivers should the league toll the contract?

[GoalieGuild]

My understanding is that he must clear waivers again before he can be traded.

I think if he plays through the season, he could then be traded without clearing waivers because he honored the contract and on July 1 he would become an UFA again.

[lockedge]

The thing I don't get is why Meehan sent out a message to all teams saying that Nabby would report to any team as long as he had a shot at being a starter. Why not say he would only report to a playoff team. Also, before claiming him, why wouldn't Snow make a phone call and ask Meehan if he thought Nabby would play.

One interesting thing is that the Isles seem to be the only team without a ton of Meehan clients. Only Shremp and Bailey I think. If Tavares were a client Meehan could always phone snow and theaten an awful contract negotiation when it comes up unless he waives Nabby.

Can the Isles trade Nabby next season without waivers should the league toll the contract?

He wouldn't have a shot at being a starter in NYI. If you mean, starter as in when DiPi is hurt, then he would have a chance at being a starter goalie, but so would Nathan Lawson, Peter Mannino, Jordan Pearce and numerous other fringe goalies in their respective teams.
With DiPi signed for 50 years, there is no other starter. They have committed to him, they will choose him as their starter as long as he is playing hockey and is on NYI. It's like, why does Ottawa keep playing Pascal Leclaire? Because Elliott doesn't have the huge contract. Teams do this, they make those guys earn their contracts, and at best, Nabby would be having Garon-esque starting intervals on the Island.

Isn't nabby signed to a 1 year contract that ends this june? So long as he reports once during that period(afaik) he's free to go come UFA season. :\

[93213]

If they toll the contract I'm not sure waivers apply anymore, but I can't find confirmation to quote. I will give the cba a read. From what I understand waiver rules expire.

[GoalieGuild]

Things just went from bad to worse. Now he's suspended. Hear that sound? It's Nabby digging his hole even deeper.

[GoalieGuild]

Good piece by Justin Bourne on the Nabby situation. Basically reiterates what I've been saying:

http://deadspin.com/5744003/dont-wan...s-too-damn-bad

[dyzfunctioned]

Glad I only gave up Donskoi to get him...

[MT319]

Good piece by Justin Bourne on the Nabby situation. Basically reiterates what I've been saying:

http://deadspin.com/5744003/dont-wan...s-too-damn-bad

You sure "Justin Bourne" isn't just your alternate identity...kinda like "Jason Bourne" from that movie trilogy

[Bomm Bastic]

Good piece by Justin Bourne on the Nabby situation. Basically reiterates what I've been saying:

http://deadspin.com/5744003/dont-wan...s-too-damn-bad

Excellent article.

[islefan31]

Excellent article.

Love it. Hit the nail on the head.

[mister_mcgoo]

Originally Posted by GoalieGuild View Post
Good piece by Justin Bourne on the Nabby situation. Basically reiterates what I've been saying:

http://deadspin.com/5744003/dont-wan...s-too-damn-bad

Excellent article.

I couldn't disagree more...I think it's presumptuous and borderline ******ed to compare one's limited three year experience in the minors with that of an NHL veteran, its not even close. If you're in the minors then sure you don't put up a fuss, you take each and every opportunity you are given and you make the most of it, keep your head down and play your ass off and hope you get that one big shot you need to make the pros (which Jason Bourne never did obviously). But what that has to do with an NHL vet, Calder winner and Vezina nominee is a real mystery, Bourne is really grasping here, I love how the caption says:

Justin Bourne's been in that situation, and says Nabby needs to suck it up.

****ing laughable Jason, get over yourself...no he doesn't need to suck it up, he doesn't need to do anything, he's got 20-30 million more than you do he can do whatever the **** he wants -lol