Nabokov ready to return from groin injury

Evgeni Nabokov has been steady in goal this season -- when he hasn’t been hampered by groin problems. He’s ready to return from his second bout with the same injury. "It feels good, I had full practice," he said Monday at Ice Works.

Groin injuries in hockey are common place, especially for goalies. "I don't think it’s a natural movement for the human body to have skates on and push, it’s always been prevalent," said GM Garth Snow, a former goalkeeper.

Goalies are constantly stretching while on ice, but Nabokov said there is no specific exercise that prevents groin issues. "If there was, nobody would have the problem," he said with a laugh. "You try to keep warm, keep loose all the time. Other than that, I don’t have the answer."

Nabokov, who has a 2.83 goals against average in eight games, had been seen as a potential trading chip, but Snow seemed to dismiss that by saying he would keep the trio of Rick DiPietro, Al Montoya and Nabokov intact.

"This is the type of business where anything could happen," Nabokov said before Snow’s comments. "I just don’t pay attention to any of those things. It’s one of those things I don’t have any control over, so all I can do is go out, practice, play and see what is going to happen."