From Russia with glove: after two years in limbo Nikolai Khabibulin has found a home—and success—in the crease for Tampa Bay - inside hockey - Interview

Hockey Digest, May, 2002 by Tom Worgo

He changed his mind for Salt Lake City due to the presence of Team Russia coach and general manager Slava Fetisov, the legendary Soviet player who had stints in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils.

Khabibulin served as the third-string goalie during the 1994 games in Albertville. The Russians won a gold medal, but since the 19-year-old Khabibulin didn't play in any games, watching from the stands for the entire tournament, his coach, Viktor Tikhonov, unjustly claimed Khabibulin's medal.

Fetisov, however, promised Khabibulin that he would get him a gold regardless of what the team accomplished in Salt Lake City. The goalie finally received his overdue medal during the first week of the games.

"It is a surprise," Khabibulin says. "When so much time goes by, you don't think you will ever get it. A lot of people said to me `You were there. You should get one.' It's something that stays with you for the rest of your life. I thought if I get it, it would be unbelievable."

Khabibulin shined for the most part in Salt Lake City, playing all six games for the 3-2-1 bronze medalists. He saved his biggest game for an elimination-round match against the Czechs, the 1998 gold medal winners. In a performance reminiscent of Hasek's Nagano "domination," Khabibulin made 41 saves as the Russians shut out the Czechs 1-0. In the final 10 seconds alone he stopped pointblank shots from Jaromir Jags, Patrik Elias, and Petr Sykora, to preserve the victory.

At the age of 14, Khabibulin read a book about Russian Olympic star Vladislav Tretiak, who won three Olympic gold medals, and decided he too wanted to be a goalie. Now Khabibulin is the best goalie his country has produced since Tretiak.

But Tretiak never had to suffer the indignity of playing a mid-career season in the minors as Khabibulin did in 1999-2000. Coming off his second consecutive All-Star appearance, Khabibulin wanted to be paid like one. As a group-two restricted free agent, he couldn't come to terms with Phoenix and chose to sit out the season. Khabibulin instead played 33 games for the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the International Hockey League in 1999-2000, making about $100,000--$2.9 million less than he could have earned in Phoenix.

"I have no regrets whatsoever," Khabibulin says. "I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was a tough couple of years. It was something I had to do."

Last season, Khabibulin finally made it back to the NHL, appearing in two games for the Lightning after being acquired on March 5, 2001, from the Coyotes.

"I think Nikolai came into this year wanting to prove people wrong," Tortorella says. "There was a lot of people doubting him."

Khabibulin's Career Statistics

POSITION: Goalie
HEIGHT: 6'1"
WEIGHT: 195
BORN: January 13, 1973, in Sverdlovsk, U.S.S.R.
DRAFTED: By Winnipeg, No. 201 overall, 1992

    SEASON   TEAM                GM.    MIN.      W     L    T

   1994-95   Winnipeg             26    1,339     2     9    4
   1995-96   Winnipeg             53    2,914    26    20    3
   1996-97   Phoenix              72    4,091    30    33    6
   1997-98   Phoenix              70    4,026    30    28   10
   1988-89   Phoenix              63    3,657    32    23    7
 1999-2000   Long Beach (IHL)     33    1,936    26    11    1
   2000-01   Tampa Bay             2      123     1     1    0
   2001-02   Tampa Bay            50    2,732    17    24    6

NHL Totals                       336   18,882   144   138   36
  Playoffs                        24    1,419    10    13   --

    SEASON   TEAM                SV%     SO     GA    GAA

   1994-95   Winnipeg           .895      0      76   3.41
   1995-96   Winnipeg           .908      2     152   3.13
   1996-97   Phoenix            .908      7     193   2.83
   1997-98   Phoenix            .900      4     184   2.74
   1988-89   Phoenix            .923      8     130   2.13
 1999-2000   Long Beach (IHL)    n/a      5      59   1.83
   2000-01   Tampa Bay          .913      0      6    2.93
   2001-02   Tampa Bay          .928      7     102   2.24

NHL Totals                      .911     28     843   2.68
  Playoffs                      .916      1      65   2.75

* Totals through February 25, 2002