Islanders suspend Nabokov for not reporting
PITTSBURGH - The Islanders suspended Russian goaltender Evgeni Nabokov for his refusal to report after the team claimed him off waivers Saturday.
General manager Garth Snow took the action after the 35-year-old netminder failed to board a second flight the Islanders booked to bring him to Long Island. Snow talked to Nabokov twice Sunday and remained optimistic he'd change his mind about not reporting. But after the Islanders sent him an itinerary for a second flight Monday, Nabokov again spurned the team.
"He hasn't reported. We picked him up off waivers and anticipated he'd be part of our team, our organization. His failure to report led to this," Snow said before last night's game against the Penguins.
Snow characterized the last conversation he had with Nabokov as "civil" but expressed disappointment with the goaltender's decision.
"Yeah, we were excited when we made the claim and we felt he'd be a good addition to our locker room," Snow said.
Calls to Nabokov were not returned.
While the drawn-out debacle seems to have come to a resolution, the consequences for Nabokov may not be over. The Islanders still have the option to "toll" his contract, essentially pushing it back until the 2011-12 season. According to a league source, that appears to be the plan the Islanders will pursue.
"I'm not looking that far in advance, to tell you the truth," Snow said.
If the Islanders decide to toll Nabokov's contract, they'd have the former all-star and Vezina Trophy finalist under contract for next season for a modest $570,000; the one-year deal he signed with the Red Wings also contains a no-move clause, meaning he can't be traded or sent to the minors without his permission.
Snow indicated he's in no rush to make his next move. And he has no reason to because he has all the leverage in the situation. Assuming Nabokov wants to play in the NHL again, he will have to go through the Islanders either this year or next.
The potential of a trade to send Nabokov elsewhere is virtually impossible given the convoluted waiver process he'd have to clear.
"It's status quo at this point in time," Snow said. "We've suspended him. I don't have any prediction on what is going to happen days from now, weeks from now, months from now."
Although Nabokov signed the deal as a free agent with Detroit Thursday, the rules of the collective-bargaining agreement required him to clear waivers first because he played professionally overseas in Russia's KHL this season.
Nabokov told ESPN.com Sunday that he was sticking with his decision to stay home despite the ramifications. A brief battle ensued when the report surfaced, with Nabokov claiming Snow never called him and Snow telling reporters Nabokov hung up on him.
The two eventually made contact and cleared the air later that day. After that conversation Snow sounded optimistic he could change Nabokov's mind and made plans to speak to him at a later time.
That didn't work.
Snow said he was surprised Nabokov didn't take advantage of an opportunity to return to the NHL. Nabokov parted ways with his KHL team, SKA St. Petersburg, in December.
"It's a tough spot we're in regarding the playoffs," said Snow, "but it's not insurmountable and I feel that with that claim he would've helped us get some much-needed wins."
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