For a few weeks there had been discussion about what Evgeni Nabokov will do with his career. At this point, retirement seemed to be the option that made the most sense. With this latest move, it appears that the Sharks are going to have Nabokov retire with the team.
The Sharks aren’t in need of a goalie at the moment and this sets up for him to announce his retirement at the age of 39, which will come this Wednesday.
Nabokov was drafted by San Jose in the ninth round (219th overall) of the 1994 NHL Draft. Nabokov holds nearly every San Jose Sharks franchise goaltending record, including: games played (563), wins (290) and shutouts (50).
He was a staple in the Sharks’ success for so long and was always one of the most beloved players during that era before leaving for Russia at the end of the 2009-10 season. He spent a few more years in the NHL with the Isles and Bolts but it looks like he will officially end it where it started.
But at the end of the day... 