| 12 January 2010
Sign: Leo
Birth year: 1975
Home Town: Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan (also a Russian citizen.)
Nickname: Nabby
Drafted: 1994, 9th round
(April 29, 2008- Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America)
The Goalie formerly known as "John."
Much like the Klingon Empire treatment of their amazing facial transformations, he doesn't like to talk about that period of his life.
He hates stupid after game questions, has been known to call out team members who he feels are underperforming (hai Pickles!), and until recently, he avoided the press like the plague. He is a ping pong master. He sports a gold chain at all times, so far as I can tell. This is to remind you that he is awesome. His name is mentioned in a Sting song.
Even though it was in reference to the author Nabokov, and not Nabby himself, that has to count for something.
He won the Calder in 2001, was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2001, was the first NHL goalie to score a power play goal in 2002, was the shut out master of the 2008 All-Star Game, names best goalie of the world Championships in 2008, and a Veznia finalist in 2008. (some of us would argue that he should have won)
In other words, he's pretty damn good.
Odds are good he'll be battling with Byrzgalov for the starting spot on Russia's Olympic team. If it were up to me, I'd give the job to Nabby. I've seen him on bad nights, I've seen him on good ones, and I've seen him when he was trading the #1 spot with Vesa. He's come quite far since then.
His stats since taking the goalie reigns in the 2000 season:
1999-00 San Jose Sharks NHL 11 414 15 2 1 2.17 2 2 1 166 0.910
2000-01 San Jose Sharks NHL 66 3700 135 3 6 2.19 32 21 7 1582 0.915
2001-02 San Jose Sharks NHL 67 3901 149 5 7 2.29 37 24 5 1818 0.918
2002-03 San Jose Sharks NHL 55 3227 146 5 3 2.71 19 28 8 1415 0.906
2003-04 San Jose Sharks NHL 59 3455 127 0 9 2.21 31 19 8 1483 0.921
2005-06 San Jose Sharks NHL 45 2575 133 2 1 3.10 16 19 7 1027 0.885
2006-07 San Jose Sharks NHL 50 2778 106 4 7 2.29 25 16 4 1121 0.914
2007-08 San Jose Sharks NHL 77 4561 163 6 6 2.14 46 21 8 1639 0.910
2008-09 San Jose Sharks NHL 62 3686 150 0 7 2.44 41 12 8 1513 0.910
*care of hockeydb.com
Ignoring that one less then stellar run we were witness to in 05-06, this guy has potential Olympic champion written all over him.
Assuming he can keep that 5 hole of his shut.
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