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Evgeni Nabokov’s agent says he won’t report to New York Islanders

Evgeni Nabokov

San Jose Sharks Chicago Blackhawks during the second period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey Western Conference finals Sunday, May 23, 2010, in Chicago.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Nam Y. Huh

The New York Islanders made an interesting, potentially shrewd move to snatch goalie Evgeni Nabokov off of the waive wire today but the Russian netminder’s agent Don Meehan says he won’t report to Long Island.

Obviously, going from being signed by Stanley Cup contender Detroit to the Long Island cellar dwellers is a considerable drop in prestige. Still, if the two sides don’t find a way to work something out - even if it’s just a thinly veiled way for the Isles to try to squeeze something out of a team looking to nab Nabby - then the Russian goalie will be forced to sit out the rest of the 2010-11 season.

Meehan stated earlier in the proceedings that the goalie would play for whichever team signed him because he wanted to treat the rest of this season as “an audition” but perhaps Nabokov views joining the Islanders as the equivalent to signing on for a lead role in that disastrous Spider Man play.

Katie Strang caught up with Islanders GM Garth Snow on the subject, who offered this response.

Snow wouldn’t discuss his plans if Nabokov doesn’t report: We will cross that bridge when we get there. To me that’s not an issue right now.

It’s doubtful that floundering in the KHL and then refusing to play for a rebuilding NHL team will increase Nabokov’s profile either, but much like Snow, we’ll have to wait and see how this one plays out.