Islanders Point Blank: How Nabokov got this team to where it needed to go

[The Underboss]

http://islanderspointblank.com/islanders/how-evgeni-nabakov-got-this-team-to-where-it-needed-to-go/

We won’t know for sure where this season — the final one in Nassau County — is headed until two months from now. But all indications point towards a top seed in the Eastern Conference and more than a fighting chance at the organization’s first playoff series win since 1993. If and when that happens, there will be one man absent from the dressing room that had a huge hand in getting these Islanders to that point. We knew him simply as “Nabby.â€

In so many ways, Evgeni Nabokov was perfectly emblematic of many players’ and fans’ attitude towards the franchise in the waning days of 2011. But, as so often happens around this team, reluctance quickly became adoration....

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[MatthewBarnabysTears]

say what you will about nabokov, he was the best goalie the Isles had for about an 8 year span. i'd be thrilled if he ever returned to the organization.

 

[RMimagery]

I appreciated what he brought to this team. Too bad he was tired from playing 37 games out of 48 going into the playoffs vs PIT. He would've fared better if it was a few years prior.

He went 57-43-18 in his 3 years when the team went 92-91-29 overall.

Lubo Visnovsky has a similar positive difference in his games (too bad he missed so many due to injury) but these 2 elder statesmen made/make a difference when they're on the ice.

Best to you Evgeni, you're a character with a huge heart and thanks for all you did in your time here.

 

[dtrain24]

Again, loved having him here. Loved Nabby when he was a Shark and was thrilled to see him in an Isles uniform.

He was instrumental in just getting us to the 2013 playoffs. Would love to see him return as a coach here or something like that.

Thank you, Nabby.

 

[stranger34]

much respect and unfairly maligned by alot of the playoff bandwagon crowd of 2 years ago.