Wilson says goalie was injured, despite claims to the contrary
By Victor Chi

SAN JOSE - A day after Evgeni Nabokov was scratched from the lineup under ambiguous circumstances, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson tried to put the kibosh on trade speculation regarding the goaltender.

Wilson cited the one-two combination of Nabokov and Vesa Toskala as one of the team's strengths as they head into the second half of the NHL season.

"Especially with the compressed schedule and the importance of the games, we're going to need both of them, Nabby and Tosk," Wilson said Tuesday from Ottawa. "We're fortunate to be in a situation with our goaltending where we have depth. But I don't want a strength to become a weakness because of injury."

The Sharks said they went with Toskala as the starter and Nolan Schaefer as the backup in Monday's victory over Tampa Bay because Nabokov had a sore groin.

But Nabokov declined to acknowledge an injury. After the game, he deferred all health questions to the coaching staff and said: "I feel fine."

Wilson said Nabokov's stance was a product of his competitiveness and desire to play.

"What I admire about our guys is the heart they have and their willingness to play through pain," Wilson said. "But there's a difference between being hurt and being injured. Sometimes we have to protect them from themselves. We can't afford to lose someone like Nabby. I don't want soreness to become an injury.

"Obviously Nabby is a big competitor. If it had been Game 7 of the playoffs, he probably could've played. But at this point, we need to do the smart thing."

Another development that might quiet trade talk is the fact that Wilson is expected to meet today with Nabokov's agent Don Meehan about a contract extension, according to a source close to the situation. Wilson, though, declined to comment about having such a get-together.

"It's my policy not to discuss contracts," he said.

But with Nabokov and Toskala both eligible to become unrestricted free agents after this season, expect plenty of rumors to circulate before the NHL's trade deadline of March 9.

Regarding trade discussions in general, Wilson said: "I'm doing an awful lot of listening but nothing is imminent."

If Nabokov does sign an extension before the trade deadline, the Sharks should expect to hear more offers for Toskala.

In previous years the Sharks might have been more willing to hold on to Toskala until the summer and then recoup a compensatory draft pick for losing him as a free agent. But under the new collective bargaining agreement, there are no longer compensatory picks.

The Sharks also would need to weigh what sort of return they could get for moving a goalie against their comfort level of heading into the stretch run and potentially the playoffs with Schaefer, who has just seven games of NHL experience, as the backup.