Nabokov claimed by NYI, refuses to report, suspended

[drwscc 212]

I think it is unlikely that the NHL would grant the "tolling" of Nabby's contract. The only 2 other times this has happened, it was when players held out in the middle of long contracts (Yashin and Radulov) and were trying to get out of them. This is an entirely different case, as Nabby obviously signed a deal far lower than his value for only half a year. There is no way the NHLPA allows a player to be forced into playing a full year on that type of contract.

So, no, Snow was not smart for picking Nabby up, as he will likely end up with nothing, or at worst, a locker room cancer who doesn't want to be there.

[Wingzman91 134]

I think it is unlikely that the NHL would grant the "tolling" of Nabby's contract. The only 2 other times this has happened, it was when players held out in the middle of long contracts (Yashin and Radulov) and were trying to get out of them. This is an entirely different case, as Nabby obviously signed a deal far lower than his value for only half a year. There is no way the NHLPA allows a player to be forced into playing a full year on that type of contract.

So, no, Snow was not smart for picking Nabby up, as he will likely end up with nothing, or at worst, a locker room cancer who doesn't want to be there.

And how do you know that he doesn't want cancer?

How do you know he doesn't want to fold up and get tthe #1 draft pick?

Even if everything falls through, if this distracts the team, it improves Snow's pick.

Sorry your upset, but, this was a smart move by Snow, even if no one else liked it, no one else is in charge of the NYI.

[Uncle Danny 155]

I think it is unlikely that the NHL would grant the "tolling" of Nabby's contract. The only 2 other times this has happened, it was when players held out in the middle of long contracts (Yashin and Radulov) and were trying to get out of them. This is an entirely different case, as Nabby obviously signed a deal far lower than his value for only half a year. There is no way the NHLPA allows a player to be forced into playing a full year on that type of contract.

So, no, Snow was not smart for picking Nabby up, as he will likely end up with nothing, or at worst, a locker room cancer who doesn't want to be there.

I dunno. I have to go with Eva on this one. If Ken Holland had pulled a move like this, rolling the dice for tolling of the contract, we'd all be calling him a genius. Snow may be many things in this case, but dumb isn't one of them. The word "jerk" comes to mind, but so does the word "savvy."

[vladdy16 2,154]

God help me, but I too am in Eva's camp. Islanders have more need for goaltending than we do and they risk the same as we did - nothing. I don't understand why everyone is so angry with Snow. He got first dibs and ran with it.

Now, do I blame Nabby for not reporting? Nope. However, the odds are in NY's favor at this point that they'll get something out of this fiasco.

[Wingzman91 134]

I dunno. I have to go with Eva on this one. If Ken Holland had pulled a move like this, rolling the dice for tolling of the contract, we'd all be calling him a genius. Snow may be many things in this case, but dumb isn't one of them. The word "jerk" comes to mind, but so does the word "savvy."

This.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Either way, this thread = thread of the year.

[weGotTheCup89 41]

And how do you know that he doesn't want cancer?

How do you know he doesn't want to fold up and get tthe #1 draft pick?

Even if everything falls through, if this distracts the team, it improves Snow's pick.

Sorry your upset, but, this was a smart move by Snow, even if no one else liked it, no one else is in charge of the NYI.

The point you're making is utter nonsense:

Because of this move, the team could perform better

Because of this move, the team could perform worse

And because there are pros to each of the options, it was a good move by Snow

Brilliant, sir.

/s

[mjlegend 155]

I dunno. I have to go with Eva on this one. If Ken Holland had pulled a move like this, rolling the dice for tolling of the contract, we'd all be calling him a genius. Snow may be many things in this case, but dumb isn't one of them. The word "jerk" comes to mind, but so does the word "savvy."

Actually, with the win-loss record of his tenure on Long Island, the word "Godawful" comes more to mind.

[eva unit zero 271]

Actually, with the win-loss record of his tenure on Long Island, the word "Godawful" comes more to mind.

Snow's actions on the Nabokov move were slick. He has not been stellar as a GM, but a lot of that is due to this man:

Think about the difficulty the Lions have attracting free agents nowadays compared to ten or fifteen years ago. Teams with a history of bad management, consistent losing, and low playoff chances don't get good free agents. Just like how Brady Hoke and University of Michigan football will not get the same level of recruits they were getting five years ago under Lloyd Carr, simply because Rich Rod spent a few years doing nothing but sucking ass.

[MacK_Attack 108]

I think it is unlikely that the NHL would grant the "tolling" of Nabby's contract. The only 2 other times this has happened, it was when players held out in the middle of long contracts (Yashin and Radulov) and were trying to get out of them. This is an entirely different case, as Nabby obviously signed a deal far lower than his value for only half a year. There is no way the NHLPA allows a player to be forced into playing a full year on that type of contract.

So, no, Snow was not smart for picking Nabby up, as he will likely end up with nothing, or at worst, a locker room cancer who doesn't want to be there.

I don't think when it comes right down to it, that it is any different.

It's a player with a contract who is not honouring it. I'm not so sure an arbitrator/judge would be able to look at extenuating circumstances.

[drwscc 212]

And how exactly is forcing someone who wants nothing to do with your team to play or sit out possibly 2 years going to improve the Isles' chances of luring free agents?

[e_prime 1,936]

And how exactly is forcing someone who wants nothing to do with your team to play or sit out possibly 2 years going to improve the Isles' chances of luring free agents?

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.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

I don't think when it comes right down to it, that it is any different.

It's a player with a contract who is not honouring it. I'm not so sure an arbitrator/judge would be able to look at extenuating circumstances.

but he signed with the wings..not with the islanders...everyone keeps forgetting that it seems. they had half a year to sign him if they wanted to..now they do it after the wings sign him and after he said many times that he wanted to play for a contender. did the isle not think this was going to go wrong that they picked someone up that has a NMC and that signed with a team? And it seems that some GM's per reports are happy they picked him up just for the fact that Detroit didn't get him....so how do we know the islanders didn't do that? or is it because eva said so?

[eva unit zero 271]

I think it is unlikely that the NHL would grant the "tolling" of Nabby's contract. The only 2 other times this has happened, it was when players held out in the middle of long contracts (Yashin and Radulov) and were trying to get out of them. This is an entirely different case, as Nabby obviously signed a deal far lower than his value for only half a year. There is no way the NHLPA allows a player to be forced into playing a full year on that type of contract.

So, no, Snow was not smart for picking Nabby up, as he will likely end up with nothing, or at worst, a locker room cancer who doesn't want to be there.

Radulov and Yashin both held out on the final year of their contract; Yashin on a five year deal which he was holding out trying to renegotiate the final year for what was basically a double in pay from about $3.6m to about $7m. Radulov signed a three year KHL deal while he was already under contract to Nashville, and hasn't been back. Hudler signed a 2-year KHL deal while waiting for arbitration, and his arbitrated NHL deal was pushed back a year.

Nabokov is an Islander next year if Snow doesn't move him.

[eva unit zero 271]

but he signed with the wings..not with the islanders...everyone keeps forgetting that it seems. they had half a year to sign him if they wanted to..now they do it after the wings sign him and after he said many times that he wanted to play for a contender. did the isle not think this was going to go wrong that they picked someone up that has a NMC and that signed with a team? And it seems that some GM's per reports are happy they picked him up just for the fact that Detroit didn't get him....so how do we know the islanders didn't do that? or is it because eva said so?

Who cares if the Isles picked him up because they needed a goalie now, didn't want Detroit to have him, or even if (as I actually believe) Snow thought Nabby would refuse to play, and therefore walk into being a cheap, tradeable asset with high value (he wants to be moved, so the Isles will trade him and he'll waive his clause) none of those reasons should cause Nabby's contract to be void.

The only reason would be if the Isles suspended Nabokov without cause specifically so they could trade him later this summer.

[vladdy16 2,154]

but he signed with the wings..not with the islanders...everyone keeps forgetting that it seems. they had half a year to sign him if they wanted to..now they do it after the wings sign him and after he said many times that he wanted to play for a contender. did the isle not think this was going to go wrong that they picked someone up that has a NMC and that signed with a team? And it seems that some GM's per reports are happy they picked him up just for the fact that Detroit didn't get him....so how do we know the islanders didn't do that? or is it because eva said so?

No one is forgetting he signed with Detroit - the problem is you seem to keep forgetting that the Wings were on the bottom of the list when it came to actually getting him. Detroit gambled and lost. Was everyone aware that Nabby preferred Detroit? Of course. Does that mean every other team can't make a move that is rightfully theirs to make and will improve their team just because Holland has tapped someone? If we claimed a goalie off waivers that someone else had signed, we all be jumping up and down with glee and once again marveling at the genius that is Ken Holland.

Relax, folks, it's not like we lost out on Patrick Roy circa 1996 or anything.

[Selliria 76]

but he signed with the wings..not with the islanders...everyone keeps forgetting that it seems. they had half a year to sign him if they wanted to..now they do it after the wings sign him and after he said many times that he wanted to play for a contender. did the isle not think this was going to go wrong that they picked someone up that has a NMC and that signed with a team? And it seems that some GM's per reports are happy they picked him up just for the fact that Detroit didn't get him....so how do we know the islanders didn't do that? or is it because eva said so?

Half a year ago, the goalie they rely on wasn't injured.

Also, I still can't find one single article stating that Nabokov told anybody that his wish was to play for a Cup contending team. All I could find was Nabby saying he wanted to get back into the NHL and his agent saying he would play for any team that grabbed him. But let's just assume, for the sake of this discussion that he DID say that. Who's fault is it that mixed messages are being released to the public? Nabokov & his agent's. You can't get mad at someone for making a decision based on something your agent said when you did absolutely nothing to try and correct the situation. If what you say is true, they let both the rumors fly around. That's not Snow's fault.

It doesn't matter who he signed with. When he signed that contract, he KNEW he'd be going through the waivers system. He KNEW any team below the Wings could scoop him up if they wanted to. He did it anyway - and now that contract, regardless of who he signed it with, is property of the New York Islanders. And he KNEW this was a possibility before he was even handed the pen.

As far as your comments about how we know that the Islanders didn't pick Nabby just to keep him out of Detroit... we don't know that he didn't do that. But we also don't know that he did. Why is it okay to speculate that Snow was intentionally being a ****** but it's NOT okay to speculate that maybe Snow was doing his job? I posted this before, but I'll post it again. Ken Holland described the situation with Nabokov as (paraphrashing) "a unique opportunity to get a goalie with over 300 NHL wins for a great price." Snow could've easily seen the situation as the same - and considering the goalie they were relying on was injured the night before Nabby went on waivers, the decision shouldn't really have surprised anybody.

The fact is, we have NO idea what happened. But there's definitely a double standard for Snow & Holland flying around in this thread. And I'm as die-hard a Wings fan as anybody, but this is getting obnoxious.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Selliria

[Vladifan 680]

Would someone here please define "tolled", or "tolling"? If it's already defined here, sorry. But THANKS.

[Electrophile 3,554]

Would someone here please define "tolled", or "tolling"? If it's already defined here, sorry. But THANKS.

I don't know if that's sarcasm or not, but think of For Whom The Bell Tolls. It means to cause a bell to sound slowly, and is repeated.

[Guest scottj]

Just like how Brady Hoke and University of Michigan football will not get the same level of recruits they were getting five years ago under Lloyd Carr, simply because Rich Rod spent a few years doing nothing but sucking ass.

I hate that

[drwscc 212]

If Snow had picked up the phone and called Nabby/Meehan directly, and said "Hey, I am thinking about picking you up. Are you willing to show up?" and been told no, he could have avoided the whole situation.

Nobody wants a player who has 0 desire to play for your team, especially not a goalie. Snow is in a lose-lose here, and so is Nabby. He had the right to pick Nabby off the waivers, but Nabby has the right not to show up. Or, he could show up, and cause problems. Or play one period, and fake an injury, and be done for the year. Or never play again. It's all a big crapshoot.

And for those saying that if Holland did the same thing, we'd all be cheering, I don't think the situations are even remotely similar. The Islanders have spent the past few years showing the world that they are poorly run, that they have no interest in beoming a place where players want to play. The Wings, on the other hand, are a well run organization, that show remarkable loyalty to players that sign there. If the situation was reversed, and the Islanders were the team that Nabby tried to sign with, Holland would have made a quick phone call, discovered the player had no intention of suiting up for the team, and either passed, or picked him up to prevent someone else from getting him. Noone wins if you try to force an unwilling person to work for you.

Had Snow played it that way (i.e. he doesn't want to play for us, but we're picking this guy up so team X doesn't get him) I think most folks would understand. But to ****** someone up who was coming back, and wanted a chance to go to the playoffs, and then just act like "who cares what he wants. he's livestock," is just the wrong way to handle this.

[LeftWinger 4,961]

Yep, it's a genius move by Holland to attempt to pick up Nabokov as a backup for nothing on a near-minimum contract. But when Snow actually does get him for that amount on waivers, Snow is an idiot.

Even though with Nabokov not reporting and suspended, he ends up as Islanders property for next year. Wow, now Snow has a very good goalie on a low one-year deal that he can trade in the summer to a team looking for goaltending. Worst case, he gets a pick or two.

Snow sure is stupid to get free draft picks or prospects, or even better, contributing roster players.

Well considering that the only reason Snow GOT him is because of Hollands footwork. Do you think Nabokov would even consider signing that contract with the Islanders outright? So, Snow didn't get him for that amount, he was handed him for that amount because of a stupid rule. But alas, it is a rule, so he is an Islander. But Snow is an idiot, he probably thought they were buddies because he is a former goaltender and hey have that goaltender comradeship. Hey Snow, CLICK! Just like when Barry Sanders told Matt Millen to get off his porch! "But Barry, it's me! Matt Millen!"

[weGotTheCup89 41]

Half a year ago, the goalie they rely on wasn't injured.

Also, I still can't find one single article stating that Nabokov told anybody that his wish was to play for a Cup contending team. All I could find was Nabby saying he wanted to get back into the NHL and his agent saying he would play for any team that grabbed him. But let's just assume, for the sake of this discussion that he DID say that. Who's fault is it that mixed messages are being released to the public? Nabokov & his agent's. You can't get mad at someone for making a decision based on something your agent said when you did absolutely nothing to try and correct the situation. If what you say is true, they let both the rumors fly around. That's not Snow's fault.

In my opinion, signing a 570k contract specifically with the Red Wings hinted as his intentions that he wanted to play for a contender. I believe he could've gotten more if he had talked to another team that needed a goalie at this point in the season and had more than exactly 570k in cap space.

Here's your quote, though it's recent, and there was no reason to make a statement before saying he didn't want to play for [specific team]:

"It's nothing against the Islanders and their organization," Nabokov told espn.com on Sunday. "It's just that I'm at the point in my career where I want to help a team win in the playoffs."

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/islanders/shun_and_done_BsXamnac6btcndp0uuMjYP#ixzz1CB6VWF87

[vladdy16 2,154]

And for those saying that if Holland did the same thing, we'd all be cheering, I don't think the situations are even remotely similar. The Islanders have spent the past few years showing the world that they are poorly run, that they have no interest in beoming a place where players want to play. The Wings, on the other hand, are a well run organization, that show remarkable loyalty to players that sign there.

Had Snow played it that way (i.e. he doesn't want to play for us, but we're picking this guy up so team X doesn't get him) I think most folks would understand. But to ****** someone up who was coming back, and wanted a chance to go to the playoffs, and then just act like "who cares what he wants. he's livestock," is just the wrong way to handle this.

The Wings were not always so well-run. It took Ilitch & Co. decades to get where they are now, and I'm fairly certain not all of their moves were on the up-and-up. (See Fedorov) Snow's job is to do the best he can to improve and maintain the team. He's done nothing more than that in this case.

Well considering that the only reason Snow GOT him is because of Hollands footwork. Do you think Nabokov would even consider signing that contract with the Islanders outright? So, Snow didn't get him for that amount, he was handed him for that amount because of a stupid rule. But alas, it is a rule, so he is an Islander. But Snow is an idiot, he probably thought they were buddies because he is a former goaltender and hey have that goaltender comradeship. Hey Snow, CLICK! Just like when Barry Sanders told Matt Millen to get off his porch! "But Barry, it's me! Matt Millen!"

Of course Nabby wouldn't have signed a contract with NY outright. No one is arguing that. Whether it's right or wrong, the rule as it stands is that Nabby had to clear waivers. Everyone involved knew that better than we did, and were very much aware of the chances of this actually panning out in our favor. Am I pleased with this situaion? Hardly. It is what it is and I still fail to see how Snow did anything wrong or underhanded or something we should be angry about. It was a smart move on his part, and from what I understand, those are few and far between.

[weGotTheCup89 41]

The Wings were not always so well-run. It took Ilitch & Co. decades to get where they are now, and I'm fairly certain not all of their moves were on the up-and-up. (See Fedorov) Snow's job is to do the best he can to improve and maintain the team. He's done nothing more than that in this case.

Of course Nabby wouldn't have signed a contract with NY outright. No one is arguing that. Whether it's right or wrong, the rule as it stands is that Nabby had to clear waivers. Everyone involved knew that better than we did, and were very much aware of the chances of this actually panning out in our favor. Am I pleased with this situaion? Hardly. It is what it is and I still fail to see how Snow did anything wrong or underhanded or something we should be angry about. It was a smart move on his part, and from what I understand, those are few and far between.

1. For Fedorov, we didn't go to Russia and force him onto a plane to come play for us. Yes, we were the enabler, but we didn't help him do anything he didn't want to do.

2. Personally, I don't think there was anything wrong with Snow picking the guy up, it's in the rules, and was no way underhanded. What I do have a problem is when Nabokov says "I won't play for you," he goes back and says, "Well if you're not playing for us, you can't play for anyone" when Nabokov specifically stated he only wanted to play for a contender.

I have to believe the waiver rule will be looked at in the offseason, because as it stands, the NYI don't really have any motivation to let Nabokov go for nothing other than not looking like bad people in the eyes of future players who will think about playing in Long Island.