Net Way Robbery

Evgeni Nabokov is a veteran goalie with ten years NHL experience, all of them coming with the San Jose Sharks. This season he and the Sharks parted ways and he decided to go play in Russia's KHL. But that didn't work out and so he was granted his release. The Detroit Red Wings, a seemingly perennial Stanly Cup-contender, are thin at goalie right now and looked into signing, which they ended up doing. But NHL rules say he had to pass through waivers before the Wings could actually get him. Not surprisingly, he didn't clear waivers and the New York Islanders claimed him. My question is, 'But why?'

The Islanders are also thin at goalie having traded away Dwayne Roloson and with Mr. 15-Year Deal, Rick DiPietro, always injured. They have actually been going with two rookie goalies in Nathan Lawson and Kevin Poulin, but the former has been battling the flu. So, yes, they technically need a goalie and Nabokov would probably see way more ice time in New York than in Detroit. But he doesn't really care about ice time. Nabokov is 35 years of age and nearing the end of his career, and so he wants that a chance to win the Cup. I thought that was clear when he decided to sign with the Red Wings even though he'd only matter on the team for the 2 months Chris Osgood is out after sustaining a hernia. He won't get the chance at the Cup with the Islanders as they are at the bottom of the standings and have been long out of the playoff race.

The Isles obviously didn't care what Nabokov wanted, only thinking about tending to their own needs, which is completely understandable. Sometimes, though, you have to care about what the player wants because Nabokov has decided not to report to the Islanders, and they have suspended him for his refusal. So now nobody gets what they want. The Wings don't get their veteran goalie to soften Osgood's injury; Nabokov doesn't get his chance at a Stanley cup this year; And the Islanders don't get a goalie they desperately need. You see why I wondered why now?

The New York team from Long Island should have never put a claim in for Nabokov. In fact, the team no team should have put a claim in for Nabokov. Furthermore, I don't even agree with that NH:L rule. What's the point of allowing a team to sign a player mid-season that has played overseas if the player then just has to go through the waiver process? It should either be one or the other. Either the player has to go through the waiver process and then try and work out a deal with his new team or just let the player sign a contract with the team of his choice and don't have a waiver process. Having both does not make any sense, but rules are rules and they have allowed the Islanders to commit net way robbery.

References:

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/news/story?id=6048076
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/news/story?id=6062772