Some hockey fans are too young to remember watching Nikolai Khabibulin between the pipes. To be fair, the last time the Russian goaltender suited up in an NHL game was a little over a decade ago.
But as fate would have it, they’ll soon get another chance.
Up until recently, Khabibulin was serving as a goalie coach with the KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and was considered to be retired.
On Wednesday, that all changed when it was revealed that the 50-year-old would be returning to action, signing a one-year contract with the club.
Talk about a hands-on approach…
The KHL shared the news on X as a reply to a photo of former NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk, who made his professional hockey return with the KHL’s Spartak Moskva on Sunday.
This is real, too. https://t.co/B7gWTcSagH pic.twitter.com/q15Dch8a3p
— KHL (@khl_eng) December 27, 2023
Drafted 204th overall by the Winnipeg Jets back in 1992, Khabibulin moved with the team to Phoenix for the 1996-97 season.
Throughout his 18-year NHL journey, the netminder was arguably at his best with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he became the first Russian goalie to win the Stanley Cup (2004). He also suited up for the Chicago Blackhawks (2005 – 2009, 2013) and Edmonton Oilers (2009 – 2013), who signed Khabibulin to a four-year, $15 million contract.
Over 799 NHL games, Khabibulin logged a 333-334-97 record with a 2.72 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage, and 46 shutouts.
Despite hanging up his skates in the mid 2010s, the veteran netminder has remained close to the ice, as a goaltending coach for the Russian national team and the World Juniors team in 2020 and 2021.
As for the four-time NHL All-Star’s upcoming KHL stint, it’s unclear when he will make the transition from coach to third-string goalie.
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