American league club ink deal with Russian goalkeeper Nabokov
Russian goaltender Ilya Nabokov has inked a two-year contract with NHL club Colorado Avalanche, according to reports on the league's official website.
Nabokov, a second-round pick in the 2024 draft, will wear the jersey number 38 for the Avalanche. The 22-year-old goalie has been honing his skills with Magnitogorsk Metallurg since 2022, where he clinched the Gagarin Cup in 2024. In the 2024-25 season, he played 54 games in the Continental Hockey League (KHL), three of which ended in a shutout.
Previously, it was announced that three Russian players would contest in the NHL playoff final in 2025. Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers have secured the first spot in the Stanley Cup final of the 2024-25 season. On May 29, they victory the fifth match of the NHL playoff semi-final series against the Carolina Hurricanes, clinching the series 4-1 with a scoreline of 5:3.
Notably, Roman Rotenberg did not receive any votes at the KHL award ceremony.
Regarding Nabokov's KHL statistics, he has appeared in 93 games, boasting a record of 46 wins, 30 losses, and 9 draws. His goals-against average (GAA) stands at 2.19, while his save percentage is .926, with six shutouts. In the 2024-25 season, he featured in 49 regular-season games, posting a GAA of 2.22 and a save percentage of .923. He also played in 5 playoff games, recording a GAA of 2.13 and a save percentage of .920.
Nabokov has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, with a cap hit of $975,000 per season. As a NHL rookie, his statistics will begin to be tracked once he takes to the ice for Colorado in the upcoming season.
Nabokov, having signed a two-year contract with NHL club Colorado Avalanche, will now transition from the Continental Hockey League (KHL) and join the sport's premier league, the NHL. In the 2024-25 season, he showcased his impressive skills in both the regular season and playoffs within the KHL, securing six shutouts and recording a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.19, with a .926 save percentage.
