The Red Wings signed Evgeni Nabokov, a longtime Shark and a former Calder Trophy winner, from the KHL (where he went after the Sharks declined to resign him for the 2010-11 season), but he was claimed by the Islanders off waivers.
Rick DiPietro began the season as the Islanders’ number one but became injured. With another injury to his backup Kevin Poulin, the Islanders have been scrambling for a goalkeeper. They tried to sign Evgeni Nabokov off waivers from the Red Wings, but Nabokov declined to report to practice.
Since the beginning of the season Antero Niittymaki and Niemi had both been considered starters. But Niittymaki became injured, and Niemi has started every game since then, playing well enough to emerge, to no fault of Niittymaki’s, as a clear number one.
