San Jose’s beloved Evgeni Nabokov has retired in teal.
After 14 seasons in the NHL, veteran goaltender “Nabby” announced his retirement as a Shark in San Jose on Wednesday at a press conference held in the SAP Center.
“One of the most beloved players in our history,” Sharks General Manger Doug Wilson said in the press conference, “You know you’re beloved when you go by a nickname.”
Nabokov pretty much holds nearly every major San Jose Sharks franchise goaltending record, including games played (563), wins (293) and shutouts (50). In his finest season, 2007-08, he lead the NHL in wins (46), had the third-best goals against average (2.14) and was runner up for the Vezina Trophy.
“I want to thank Doug and the entire organization for allowing this to happen,” Nabokov said at the beginning of his speech, “When we [wife Tabitha] found out that you [San Jose Sharks] wanted to do that we were really thrilled and really happy.”
It’s no secret that while playing in San Jose Nabby was very close to then-goaltending coach Warren Strelow (who passed away in 2007), and throughout his seasons in New York and Tampa Bay he kept Strelow’s three-step plan (1. Stay focused. 2. Remember your fundamentals. 3. Have fun) and kept it taped in his locker while playing in San Jose.
“I still hear him and replay visions of things we talked about and did together,” Nabokov said. “I’ll make a save or miss one and something Warren once told me rewinds in my head.”
The old school, narrow-stance style that he developed with Strelow stuck with him even through subtle evolutions during the years. “There are so many good goalies with so many different styles,” said Nabokov, crediting current Sharks goalie coach Wayne Thomas for continuing Strelow’s teachings.
You could really get a sense of how much he appreciated San Jose trading for him and letting him retire as a Shark. “Lastly, it means a lot that the circle is coming to the end and I’m happy that I’m going to retire as a Shark, thank you,” he said. One media personnel asked him if he thinks he achieved the American Dream, to which Nabokov responded, “Absolutely. Only thing missing is the Stanley Cup.”
He is definitely and end of an era here in San Jose, which begs the question: will number 20 be the first number that San Jose retires? You would think so, after all, he holds practically all of San Jose’s goaltending records. He played enough to reach 18th on the all-time NHL win list with 353, and 17th in shutouts with 59.
The fans in San Jose would certainly appreciate seeing his number in the rafters, “The fans are just unbelievable. Every time you make a save, every time the team scores, the way they were chanting my name – it was unreal,” Nabokov said, while getting a little choked up at the end.
And it wasn’t just the fans that felt a calm with “Nabby” when he was in his prime. Sharks defenseman Scott Hannan said on Nabokov, “It was kind of cool every time you’d see him make a big save – the calmness, the smirk, the wink.”
No matter what the future holds for Nabokov and his family, San Jose will definitely be the place he calls home. I wouldn’t be surprised if you see him starting his coaching career sooner rather than later.
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