Evgeny Namestnikov
Encyclopedia
Evgeny "John" Namestnikov (born October 9, 1971 in Arzamas
, Russian SFSR) is a former professional ice hockey
player who spent parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League
.
in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft
. After spending two more seasons in Russia with CSKA Moscow
he came to North America for the 1993–94 season.
Undersized for an NHL defender, Namestnikov compensated for his size by playing a hard-nosed physical game and was an excellent open-ice hitter. Called up mid-way through the 1993–94 season, he made an instant impact with his strong play through his first 10 or so games, but faded and was returned to the American Hockey League
. This pattern would continue throughout his four seasons in the Canuck organization - when called up, he would make a quick impact with his physical play, but his lack of size and sometimes questionable decision-making would catch up with him, and he'd find himself back in the AHL.
Namestnikov signed as a free agent with the New York Islanders
for the 1997–98 season, but again found himself primarily in the minors, appearing in just two games for the Islanders in two seasons with the organization. After a brief stint in the system of the New York Rangers
, Namestnikov was dealt to the Nashville Predators
, where he played his final two NHL games in the 1999–2000 season. Following his release from Nashville in 2001, he returned to Russia where he played for 5 more seasons before retiring in 2006.
Namestnikov appeared in 43 NHL games, recording 9 assists and 24 penalty minutes. He also appeared in two playoff games for the Canucks without recording a point.
Arzamas
Arzamas is a city in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Tyosha River , east of Moscow. Population: -History:Arzamas was founded in 1578 by Ivan the Terrible in the lands populated at the time by the Mordvin people...
, Russian SFSR) is a former professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player who spent parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
Playing career
Namestnikov was drafted 117th overall by the Vancouver CanucksVancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft
1991 NHL Entry Draft
The 1991 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The draft was famous for the controversy surrounding star first overall draft pick, touted by some observers to be The Next One, Eric Lindros, who was drafted by the...
. After spending two more seasons in Russia with CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow is a Russian ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army...
he came to North America for the 1993–94 season.
Undersized for an NHL defender, Namestnikov compensated for his size by playing a hard-nosed physical game and was an excellent open-ice hitter. Called up mid-way through the 1993–94 season, he made an instant impact with his strong play through his first 10 or so games, but faded and was returned to the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. This pattern would continue throughout his four seasons in the Canuck organization - when called up, he would make a quick impact with his physical play, but his lack of size and sometimes questionable decision-making would catch up with him, and he'd find himself back in the AHL.
Namestnikov signed as a free agent with the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
for the 1997–98 season, but again found himself primarily in the minors, appearing in just two games for the Islanders in two seasons with the organization. After a brief stint in the system of the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, Namestnikov was dealt to the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, where he played his final two NHL games in the 1999–2000 season. Following his release from Nashville in 2001, he returned to Russia where he played for 5 more seasons before retiring in 2006.
Namestnikov appeared in 43 NHL games, recording 9 assists and 24 penalty minutes. He also appeared in two playoff games for the Canucks without recording a point.
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | Place | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 1990 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 1990 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 14th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held mainly in Helsinki, Finland... |
Soviet Union | WJC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1991 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 15th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held in various communities in Saskatchewan, Canada... |
Soviet Union | WJC | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||
| Junior Int'l Totals | 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 | ||||