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Report: Flyers reach verbal agreement with Sharks for Nabokov’s rights

Evgeni Nabokov

San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov (20), of Kazakhstan, blocks a shot by a Anaheim Ducks player in the second period of a first-round NHL hockey playoff game Saturday, April 25, 2009, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

AP

With the distinct lack of blockbuster trade action throughout the 2010 NHL Draft, it appears we’ll have a little something to celebrate as sources are indicating that the Philadelphia Flyers have come to a verbal agreement with the San Jose Sharks to send the rights to goaltender Evgeni Nabokov to the Flyers as Tim Panaccio at CSNPhilly tells us.

According to league sources, the Flyers have a verbal agreement in place with the San Jose Sharks to fork over a seventh-round pick next season if they can sign San Jose’s Evgeni Nabokov before July 1, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Don Meehan, the agent who represents Nabokov, told CSNPhilly.com earlier that his client’s no-trade clause is not an issue. San Jose obviously has given the Flyers permission to get a deal done and Meehan is willing to engage the Flyers ahead of July 1.

Late Saturday Meehan said it might not be “feasible” to get a deal done before July 1.

Obviously when you’re only getting the rights to a player you run a risk of getting nothing on your return. If this report turns out to be true and the Flyers are only sacrificing a seventh-round pick next year to get a few days to hammer something out with Nabokov before he hits free agency, the Flyers have everything to gain and very little to lose. If they get him signed before he hits free agency, the Flyers lock down the first big time goalie the franchise has seen since their first go-round with Ron Hextall in the 1980s.

The Sharks, meanwhile, killed any potential leverage they had in making a deal for his rights by declaring they were parting ways with Nabokov come July 1st no matter what. Whether they deal his rights or not doesn’t matter to them since they’re already eyeballing what will be available on July 1 or even sniffing around at Boston’s Tim Thomas. The Sharks are in a good position, however, and unless they’re thoroughly displeased with the free agent pack of goaltenders going after Thomas should be an absolute last resort.