Don’t be surprised if you see a lot of Ilya Nabokov content on CHN this week. His KHL season starts on Tuesday, and I’ll certainly be tuning in for that. Tomorrow, I’ll likely be putting up a highlight reel of some of his top moments from last season for all CHN+ members.
One of the players that Nabokov knocked out of the playoffs last season on his way to a KHL championship was impressed by what the young goaltender was able to do. He even went as far as to compare one part of his game to one of the top goaltenders in the NHL.
Stéphane Da Costa, who was your classic AAAA player during his time in North America, has been one of the top players in the KHL for about a decade now. His team, Avtomobilist, was knocked out of the KHL playoffs last year by Nabokov’s Metallurg club in 7 games in the conference finals, so he saw first-hand what the Avalanche prospect is capable of.
During his time in the KHL, Da Costa has played with and against some goaltenders who have gone on to have success in the NHL. One of those goaltenders is Ilya Sorokin, who was Da Costa’s teammate for three seasons with CSKA. Since coming to North America, Sorokin has established himself as one of the best goalies in the world, although he’s coming off his worst season in the NHL.
In a new interview, Da Costa said that Nabokov has a trait similar to Sorokin, something that should help him when he eventually makes his way to North America.
“He and Sorokin are very calm,” he said. “They don’t have extra nerves. After missed (saves), they don’t freak out, they don’t lose heart. He played very well in the playoffs.”
I won’t claim to be an expert on goaltenders. It’s a very specialized position, which is why more and more teams are starting to invest in goalie scouts and coaches. The Avalanche have one of the best coaches in the world in Jussi Parkkila. However, it does seem like, more than any position in hockey, mental strength plays a huge role in whether or not a goalie can succeed at the highest level. Considering they’re the last line of defense and there’s no one behind them to cover up for any mistakes, it’s important for them to be mentally strong through both the good and the bad. You can never get too high or too low, regardless of the situation.
Da Costa got a glimpse into that aspect of Nabokov’s game. The 21 year old only gave up more than 3 goals in a game during the playoffs last year five times, and each time, the Avalanche prospect bounced back, going 4-1 after those games. The only loss among those five came in a 1-0 game where his team didn’t give him any goal support.
This coming year will be a great test for Nabokov. After a fantastic rookie season, it’s up to him to prove it wasn’t a fluke. The good news is that he plays behind a very good team who seem to have a really good coach, so all the pieces are in place for him to succeed. If he’s able to repeat last season’s success, the next step for him might be crossing the pond and coming to North America in 2025-26.