Islanders put the screws to Evgeni Nabokov with suspension

The New York Islanders suspended goalie Evgeni Nabokov today for failing to report to the team after they claimed him on waivers. Hanging up on the team's general manager probably didn't help matters.

The 35-year-old former San Jose Sharks and KHL goalie signed a contract worth peanuts with the Detroit Red Wings: a pro-rated $570,000 one-year deal that made him awfully appealing to teams once he hit the waiver wire; especially teams like the Islanders, given the instability of their goaltending situation.

Cap Geek reports that Nabokov won't be paid or count against the cap, but what are the real repercussions for this suspension? As Bob McKenzie wrote on TSN:

The Islanders are within their rights to suspend Nabokov. That means Nabokov doesn't get paid and has no other options in terms of playing elsewhere. He just sits. That scenario could simply carry on for the balance of the season. End of story.

Or maybe not. The Islanders could appeal to the NHL to "toll" the contract, which essentially means push it to next year. In that case, Nabokov would then "owe" the Islanders a year and Nabokov would not necessarily become a free agent on July 1.

So in the span of a year, Nabokov would have gone from having the freedom to sign a $6-million per year contract in the KHL to being shackled to the Islanders for less than what P.A. Parenteau's making.

You think he reports to the Islanders now?

Anna Kournikova Esther Cañadas Kate Beckinsale Shiri Appleby Kelly Hu