e_prime

The Isles aren't interested in free agents. They cost too much. IF the contract is tolled Nabokov will be traded for picks and/or prospects.

Certainly, but at 5 million. In the cap era. No thanks.

One more year of Lids and then Weber. *drool* I could live with that.

Giguere Vokoun Bryzgalov Leclaire Roloson Smith Niemi Anderson Hedberg Osgood Turco Conklin Budaj Garon Harding Theodore Auld Labarbera Boucher Howard Lalime Brodeur, Mike Nabokov (according to capgeek... we'll see I guess...) Toivonen Sanford MacDonald McElhinney Sabourin ...and some others I'm unfamiliar with.

Let's agree that this could become really ******* messy.

This keeps getting repeated, and while I can see it happening... I'm going to repeat myself... I'm not sure that there is precedent for upholding a waiver acquisition contract such as this. I have to imagine that Nabokov signed the contract he did for what would end up being an abbreviated season, with a contender. It certainly seems that Nabokov, his agent, and the NHLPA would have a case against this contract being upheld for an additional year. If the contract is upheld for the following season and Snow does this, he will be vilified as a GM... but it'd almost be genius, and someone will bite. If the above mentioned trade after July 1st is in play, it'll depend on what Snow wants for Nabokov. He can still help Jimmy next year. We will need to sign a backup. (I don't think Osgood will be back.) I believe that Holland wanted to see him this year, almost an audition situation -- in addition to helping Jimmy, while he still had Osgood as an additional backup. If he's a FA, has his heart set on coming to Detroit, and the price is right, I see it as a possibility. I'd take Nabby as Jimmy's back up for next before some of the other goaltenders that have been thrown around here on LGW.

I still think that Nabokov and his agent, along with the NHLPA can argue that his "legit legal contract" was signed with the Detroit Red Wings, and that while the Islanders can suspend him, there is no precedent for the "tolling" of a waiver acquisition for the following season. Here are the Yashin and Radulov situations: Yashin -- 1998-99: Yashin was holding out because he wanted a raise from the Sens in the final year of his contract. He held out. The Sens suspended him. He tried signing a contract with a Swiss team. The IHL suspended him until his situation in Ottawa was resolved. After the season, an NHL arbitrator refused to grant Yashin FA status, ruling that Yashin owed the Sens the final season of his contract, if he did return to the NHL. He did and was subsequently boo-ed everywhere. On draft day he was traded to THE ISLANDERS. ...and we all know how that worked out. Radulov -- July 2008: Although Radulov was still under contract with the Nashville Predators for one more season, he signed a three-year deal with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL. Radulov had previously notified the Predators organization of his desire to play in Russia, stating that he was being offered better conditions. Immediately after the announcement, the Predators, NHL, and IIHF all released statements emphasizing that Radulov's contract obligated him to the Predators through the 2008–09 season and that signing with a team in Russia was a direct violation of an agreement made the previous day between the NHL and all international hockey leagues to respect players' existing contracts. After the IIHF ordered that Ufa void Radulov's contract, Ilya Kochevrin, vice-president of the KHL, argued that Radulov was signed on July 5, before the agreement was made on July 10. While the contract remains disputed, the IIHF suspended Radulov from international play on as investigations continued, it was lifted soon enough as it appeared there was no legal ground to suspend Radulov. After giving Radulov a September 1 deadline to notify his intentions to return to Nashville, the Predators suspended him, on September 2, without pay for the 2008–09 season. Radulov’s NHL contract has been suspended, which means that when... and if... he returns to the NHL he still will owe Nashville one season. He has since extended his contract with Ufa through the 2013 season. --- EDIT: Heaten and Wingz said this already and expanded however, Have there been any waiver holdouts of note prior to this situation?

It's like living on a golf course. Of course, golf is a much quieter sport.

Meanwhile, Garth Snow pretends that nothing is wrong.

Nabby's agent confirms he will not report. Newsday NYI Beat Writer

Can't say I blame him for it. He wanted to play for us. Maybe he still will.

I concur, and didn't say that this move would. ...but they do need a goalie. ...and Garth Snow likes goalies. Last year it was Biron, Roloson, and DiPietro.

Nabokov at 570,000 or Roloson at $2.5 million. ...but at that point of trading Rolly they were thinking that DiPietro/Lawson/Poulin would be adequate. (Why they thought that was okay is beyond me, but not to the point.) Once Lawson went down with an injury it left DP and Poulin, and while Poulin played well... Snow actually wants him to get more AHL experience before he's up full time with the Isle. Even if Nabokov plays out of his frigging mind for the Isle, and Detroit decides to sign him in the off-season, there's no way he's making close to what he used to. No way. ...and if he does, it certainly won't be in Detroit. Note: I'm not convinced Detroit will try to sign him in the off-season, there will be other options available then. As Ken Holland said, it was a unique opportunity. Someone was going to take a shot at Nabby, so why not us. We didn't get him, but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. It may have bought us some favor in the future with either the Islanders or with Nabokov's agent. Either way, we won't know until the trade deadline, but more than likely, the offseason.

From @NYIslanders: The #Isles have claimed goaltender Evgeni Nabokov off waivers. http://twitter.com/#!/NYIslanders Sorry. Twitter is the way of the world now.

Ansar is speculating. It's a good article and certainly has it's points, but it's not confirmation that either of those teams have put in a claim.

Nabby is much cheaper veteran than was Rolly. Obviously they're reconsidering rolling with DiPietro/Lawson/Poulin. I mean, they need the draft pick, but they need to win some games so that their young players have a little confidence in the franchise. Nabby could do that for them.

...and that's the beauty of this scenario. Quite possibly the thing that will dissuade teams from picking him up.

Was/Is Jeff Finger? Kyle Wellwood? Toronto needs their lower-tiered scapegoats as much as they need to bash their superstars. but yes, Yes. It's true the numbers don't lie. It's all Brett Lebda's fault. Really, I just think it's hilarious that he was signed to such a ridiculous contract, that he has obviously not lived up to the level of play that his contract number might suggest -- could he have possibly?? Most of all, it's hilarious that the bashing of Brett Lebda has leapt from the boards of LGW to national media levels.

You've got those two Calgary d-men salaries flipped. Also Regher is signed through 2013. So he's not just a rental.

From PuckDaddy: A thing I figured out about how bad Brett Lebda is:

Let's pin it on Kane, even if Sharp did do it.

Lobbying to get picked by Lids. (If he plays.)

Wellwood claimed off of waivers from STL. http://twitter.com/#!/TSNBobMcKenzie What's going on in San Jose? Desjardins/Mashinter/Braun demoted. Scott Nichol gets four games. There. Answered my own question.

Who?

Maybe he's there to beat up the SJ players if they can't get their act together.