Playing career

Early years with the San Jose Sharks

Nabokov's career began when National Hockey League (NHL) head scout of the San Jose Sharks, Tim Burke, saw him on an advertisement during his trip to Russia to scout another player. Taken late in the ninth round, San Jose had never seen him play; they were more interested in the skill of Nabokov's father, a professional goaltender who played 18 years in Kazakhstan and was called the "Russian Wall" by his peers.

After playing a few years in the American Hockey League (AHL) San Jose minor league affiliate, the Kentucky Thoroughblades, Nabokov played his first NHL game on January 1, 2000, stopping his first (four) shots when he replaced Steve Shields in a game against the Nashville Predators. On January 19, 2000 of the 1999-2000 season, Nabokov started in his first NHL game, playing against the Colorado Avalanche and famed goalie Patrick Roy, stopping all 39 shots he faced in a 0-0 tie. In his first three appearances, Nabokov stopped all but one of his first 58 shots, allowing one goal when teammate Stéphane Matteau scored on an empty net while Nabokov was skating to the bench on a delayed penalty.

In the second game of the 2000-01 season, Shields hurt his ankle, leaving San Jose without a starting goaltender. The team gave the starting position to Nabokov instead of Miikka Kiprusoff, who was considered the future star goaltender for the team, leaving him in the AHL to gain more experience. Nabokov went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the Rookie of the Year after playing in the 2001 All-Star Game and helping San Jose get to the playoffs. The following season on March 10, 2002, he became the first netminder in NHL history to score a powerplay goal, doing so against the Vancouver Canucks.

During the 2002-03 season, Nabokov held out, refusing to sign San Jose's proposed contract. After making only $1 million for two years of highly praised play, he wanted more. He only missed five games before the team met his demands, signing him to a two-year contract. When he finally signed the contract, he struggled to regain his form. He later remarked that holding out was extremely unsportsmanlike and vowed to never do it again. He held to his word when he avoided arbitration by signing a two-year deal worth $4.425 million per year in 2004, even when players comparable to him were getting more than $6 million per year.

Nabokov was considered one of the elite goaltenders in the NHL, and was often ranked as one of the top ten, if not top five goaltenders in the NHL by magazines like ESPN The Magazine and The Hockey News. However, the 2005-06 season was an off year for Nabokov as his save percentage of under .900 was a big concern to the team. More notably, he was relegated to the role of backup goaltender, in deference to a red-hot Vesa Toskala. Despite his less-than-stellar play, Nabokov was signed to a four-year contract extension worth roughly $21.5 million in February 2006. The contract had a no-trade clause that was activated on the condition that San Jose made the playoffs.

Nabokov is known for his excellent positioning and his ability to challenge shooters, but also being injury prone, notably his groin. During the 2006-07 NHL season, Nabokov split the starting goaltending duties with Toskala. In the Sharks 82 games Nabokov started 49. On February 1, 2007, Nabokov left a game against the Dallas Stars early after injuring his groin. 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.

During the first half of the 2007-08 NHL season, Nabokov started the first 43 games for the San Jose Sharks, however on January 13, 2008, in Anaheim he received his first day off when Thomas Greiss started his first NHL game. 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 Jaromír Jágr of the New York Rangers. In addition to that honor, Nabokov was named the “Sharks Player of the Month” by Seagate Technology in December. Since the 1996-97 season, Seagate Technology has recognized Sharks players who made contributions to further the team’s accomplishments and makes a donation of $2,500 to The Sharks Foundation on the players’ behalf. Nabokov holds the franchise-record for having won this award nine times.

Nabokov played in his second NHL All-Star Game on January 27, 2008. He 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. He secured the scoreless period when he blocked both of Ilya Kovalchuk’s shots in the last minute of the second period. On May 4, during game six of the 2008 NHL Playoffs Western Conference Semi-Finals, 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. The save was reviewed for several minutes before making it clear Nabokov saved it before it went over the goal line. The game, which ended in a Dallas victory, lasted for four overtime periods and is the eighth longest game in the league's history.

Nabokov recorded 41 wins for San Jose during the following season as the team clinched first overall in the Western Conference and the league. Despite this, San Jose was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by eighth seed Anaheim Ducks, marking just the fourth time that an eighth seed team defeated a first seed team in the first round of the playoffs. On October 17, 2009, he played in his 500th career game, all played with the Sharks, and stopped 31 shots in a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders. On February 11, 2010, Nabokov stopped a career-high 50 shots en route to a 3-2 shootout victory against the Detroit Red Wings, which was also his 11th consecutive road victory, a new NHL record.

San Jose General Manager Doug Wilson announced on June 22, 2010 that Nabokov would not return to the team for the 2010-11 season, a consequence of the NHL's salary cap. The decision received negative reviews from San Jose fans as Nabokov has been a pivotal part of the team's regular season success. He is considered to be one of the team's two greatest draft picks, along with Patrick Marleau. Nabokov has also taken heat for being at the center of the team's playoff failures and with tough decisions looming in the form of major free agents Marleau and Joe Pavelski, Wilson felt that keeping Nabokov was less of a priority in a cap era.

Post-San Jose playing career and retirement

Following the end of the 2009-10 season Nabokov's most recent San Jose extension expired and he became an unrestricted free agent. He was considered one of the "big names" available in free agency, however there was no significant interest shown in him while several teams went for less-expensive options. On July 7, 2010, it was reported that he had signed a $24 million contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), while early reports varied on the length of the contract between 4 or 6 years. Because of "family circumstances" on December 13, 2010, his contract with SKA St. Petersburg was terminated by mutual consent.

On January 20, 2011, The Sports Network (TSN) reported that Nabokov was close to being signed by the Detroit Red Wings to fill void left by the team's back-up goaltender Chris Osgood, who announced his retirement after the 2010-11 season. Joey MacDonald, who was called up to replace Osgood from Detroit's AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, ended up starting several games when the team's new starting goaltender Jimmy Howard was injured with a bruised knee. Nabokov was eventually signed by Detroit the next day. Despite signing with the team, Nabokov had to clear waivers to return to the NHL, and was claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders on January 22. Reports then surfaced that Nabokov was unhappy with the development and refused to report to New York, having wanted to play for Detroit. On January 25, the Islanders announced that they had suspended Nabokov for the remainder of the 2010-11 season because of his failure to report.

New York gave Nabokov permission to play at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships on the condition that he would not contest them extending his contract through the 2011-12 season. In August 2011, Nabokov stated that he would be reporting to New York's training camp. He played for the team the entirety of the 2011-12 season, wearing the number 20, and eventually took over the starting goaltender position. He got his first win with the team on October 15, 2011, against the New York Rangers. On January 14, 2012, Nabokov recorded his 300th career win against the Buffalo Sabres, becoming the 26th goaltender to reach the milestone. On March 21, 2012 he signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract extension to remain with New York for another season, followed by another one-year $3.25 million contract for the 2013-14 season.

After New York signed goaltenders Jaroslav Halak and Chad Johnson in the 2014 off-season, it became clear they didn't have plans to re-sign Nabokov. On July 1, 2014, he signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning worth $1.55 million. After posting a 3-6-2 record as the team's backup goaltender to Ben Bishop, he was placed on waivers around the midpoint of the season, February 1, 2015. Following his waivers clear, it was questioned as to whether he would report to Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate or consider retirement. On February 9, 2015, Nabokov was traded back to the Sharks for "future considerations". He announced his retirement on February 11, 2015.

International career

Nabokov at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Medal record
Representing Russia and Kazakhstan
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
	2008 Russia	Ice hockey

While he is a Russian citizen, he was previously denied permission by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to play for Russia, because he had played for Kazakhstan as a 19-year-old in the 1994 World Championships. In 2005, Nabokov was granted permission to play for Russia in the IIHF World Championships, but declined. Nabokov had tried to gain the IIHF's permission to play for Russia at the 2002 Winter Olympics, but failed as there were regulations in place forbidding players from representing two different countries. He was finally allowed to play for Russia in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, after being given an exemption by the IIHF, and was named to the Russian team for the 2008 World Championships. During the 2008 World Championships he posted back-to-back shut-outs before defeating Canada 5-4 in the Gold Medal game. Team Russia won the 2008 IIHF World Championships, earning Nabokov his first gold medal.

He was named as the starting goaltender for Team Russia in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. There, he led Russia to the quarterfinals against Canada. Nabokov allowed 6 goals and was then pulled in favor of Ilya Bryzgalov in a 7-3 defeat.

He represented Team Russia in the 2011 World championship in Slovakia.

Played for Kazakhstan in:

• 1994 World Championships

Played for Russia in:

• 2006 Winter Olympics
• 2008 World Championships (gold medal)
• 2010 Winter Olympics
• 2011 World Championships

Awards and achievements

• Calder Memorial Trophy - 2001
• NHL All-Rookie Team - 2001
• NHL First All-Star Team - 2008
• NHL All-Star Game Appearances - 2001 and 2008
• Best Goaltender - 2008 IIHF World Championship
• Vezina Trophy Finalist - 2008
• Set an NHL record on Feb. 11, 2010 at DET when he won his 11th consecutive road game (Nov. 21, 2009 vs. ANA — Feb. 11 2010 vs. DET)
• First Goaltender in NHL history to score a powerplay goal
• Became only the second goalie to record 3 consecutive 40 win seasons on Mar. 27, 2010 vs. VAN

Personal life

Nabokov briefly went by the name "John" upon beginning his career in North America in 1997, fearing that English speakers might have difficulty pronouncing his name. He later stated that "John" was just a nickname.

Nabokov married his wife, Tabitha, in 2001; the couple met in San Jose while she was attending college and waitressing on the side. They have two children together, a daughter born in January 2004, and a son born on February 12, 2007.

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	OTL	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1997-98	Kentucky Thoroughblades	AHL		33	10	21	2	—	1866	122	0	3.92	.872
1998-99	Kentucky Thoroughblades	AHL		43	26	14	1	—	2429	106	5	2.62	.909
1999-00	Kentucky Thoroughblades	AHL		2	1	1	0	—	120	3	1	1.50	.952
1999-00	Cleveland Lumberjacks	IHL		20	12	4	3	—	1164	52	0	2.68	.920
1999-00	San Jose Sharks	NHL		11	2	2	1	—	2645	15	1	2.17	.910
2000-01	San Jose Sharks	NHL		66	32	21	7	—	3700	135	6	2.19	.915
2001-02	San Jose Sharks	NHL		67	37	24	5	—	3901	149	7	2.29	.918
2002-03	San Jose Sharks	NHL		55	19	28	8	—	3227	146	3	2.71	.906
2003-04	San Jose Sharks	NHL		59	31	19	8	—	3455	127	9	2.21	.921
2004-05	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	RSL		14	—	—	—	—	808	27	3	2.00	—
2005-06	San Jose Sharks	NHL		44	16	19	—	7	2515	129	1	3.10	.885
2006-07	San Jose Sharks	NHL		50	25	16	—	4	2777	106	7	2.29	.914
2007-08	San Jose Sharks	NHL		77	46	21	—	8	4560	163	6	2.14	.910
2008-09	San Jose Sharks	NHL		62	41	12	—	8	3686	150	7	2.44	.910
2009-10	San Jose Sharks	NHL		71	44	16	—	10	4194	170	3	2.43	.922
2010-11	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL		22	8	8	5	—	1230	62	2	3.02	.888
2011-12	New York Islanders	NHL		42	19	18	—	3	2378	101	2	2.55	.914
2012-13	New York Islanders	NHL		41	23	11	—	7	2475	103	3	2.50	.910
2013-14	New York Islanders	NHL		40	15	14	—	8	2254	103	4	2.74	.905
2014-15	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		11	3	6	—	2	553	29	0	3.15	.882
NHL totals				697	353	227	29	57	40,152	1630	59	2.44	.911

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1999-00	San Jose Sharks	NHL		1	0	0	20	0	0	0.00	1.000
2000-01	San Jose Sharks	NHL		4	1	3	218	10	1	2.75	.903
2001-02	San Jose Sharks	NHL		12	7	5	712	31	0	2.61	.904
2003-04	San Jose Sharks	NHL		17	10	7	1052	30	3	1.71	.935
2005-06	San Jose Sharks	NHL		1	0	0	12	1	0	5.00	.750
2006-07	San Jose Sharks	NHL		11	6	5	701	26	1	2.23	.920
2007-08	San Jose Sharks	NHL		13	6	7	853	31	1	2.18	.907
2008-09	San Jose Sharks	NHL		6	2	4	362	17	0	2.82	.890
2009-10	San Jose Sharks	NHL		15	8	7	890	38	1	2.56	.907
2012-13	New York Islanders	NHL		6	2	4	324	24	0	4.44	.842
NHL totals				86	42	42	5143	208	7	2.43	.908

[ Source: Wikipedia ]