It was recently reported by Newsday reporter, Katie Strang, that Evgeni Nabokov's agent stated that his client will be reporting to the New York Islanders training camp in September in anticipation of fulfilling his contract with the team.
However, whether that fulfillment comes through the donning of an Islanders jersey or that of another's will remain uncertain.
The saga began back in the middle of the season after the Islanders had lost DiPietro to yet another injury and rookies Kevin Poulin and Mikko Koskinen were forced to perform way ahead of schedule. Heck, even journeyman AHL goaltender Nathan Lawson got a stretch of NHL action as well. In order to help keep the team somewhat competitive, Snow went out and snagged Nabokov off the waiver wire after he signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings that would cost him $570,000 for the year. Nabokov had been previously playing overseas in the KHL.
But Nabokov slammed the phone down and refused to report to the team. Since the Islanders played this correctly, Snow had the right to hold onto the rights of Nabokov heading into this year since the NHL rules that he technically owes the Islanders one year of service. With his NHL career on the line, Nabokov has decided to give this team a shot.
And he should. Al Montoya, who has definitely won the support of many Islanders fans, will be the back-up to oft-injured Rick DiPietro, who only managed to play in 26 games last year (the most he's appeared in over the past three seasons).
The real question will be how the team and fans will react to a goaltender who insulted this franchise by choosing not to report after playing in the KHL. Cleary Nabokov wanted to return to this league; but the Islanders weren't up to his standards.
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