Evgeni Nabokov
A goaltending stalwart who emerged from Kazakhstan to become the San Jose Sharks' all-time wins leader and a Vezina Trophy finalist.
Born 1975 (age 51)·Kazakhstani-Russian ice hockey player·Birthday: July 25·Generation X
Biography
Evgeni Nabokov’s path to the NHL crease was anything but ordinary. Born in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, then part of the Soviet Union, he was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 1994 after being spotted playing in Russia. His arrival in North America coincided with the Sharks' rise from league laughingstock to perennial contender. Nabby, as fans called him, was the bedrock. With a compact, efficient style and a competitive fire that belied his calm demeanor, he backstopped the team for a decade. His 2000-01 season was spectacular, earning him the Calder Trophy as top rookie and a spot as a Vezina Trophy finalist. He holds virtually every significant goaltending record for the Sharks. After a storied run in San Jose, he played for the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning before finishing his career in the KHL. Nabokov's journey from the Soviet hockey system to an NHL franchise icon is a testament to adaptability and consistent excellence.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Evgeni was born in 1975, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Evgeni Was Born
The biggest hits of 1975
#1 Movie
Jaws
Best Picture
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Evgeni's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1975Born
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Started school
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1988Became a teenager
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Could drive
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1993Could vote
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Turned 21
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2005Turned 30
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 40
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 50
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 51 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Holds the San Jose Sharks franchise records for most games played, wins, and shutouts by a goaltender.
- Won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year for the 2000-01 season.
- Was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender in 2008.
- Represented Russia in multiple international tournaments, including the Olympics and World Championships.
- Recorded 353 career NHL wins, placing him highly among goaltenders of his era.
Did You Know?
He was the first NHL player born in Kazakhstan to win a major year-end award (the Calder Trophy).
Nabokov's father, Viktor, was a professional hockey player and coach in the Soviet league.
He played for the Russian Super League team Metallurg Magnitogorsk during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.
His jersey number 20 was retired by the San Jose Sharks in 2022.
“You have to be a little bit crazy to be a goalie.”
