Profile & Scouting Report
Height: 6-1
Weight: 196 lbs.
Born: January 13, 1973 in Sverdlovsk, USSR
Drafted: Selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the eighth round (204th
pick overall) in the 1992 NHL
Entry Draft.
Personal: Nicknamed Nick ... Very interested in statistics, especially
of other players in the NHL ...
Enjoys tennis.
Scouting Report
1996-97 Season
Third among NHL goalies in minutes played. Career high in wins.
Career-best goals-against average.
Tied for fourth in NHL in shutouts. Missed one game due to fatigue.
The Physical Game
Khabibulin is a butterfly-style goalie who positions himself
like a shortstop. He gets down low and
always gets his body behind the shot, and he stays on his feet
and moves with the shooter. He may
perform the best split-save in the league: it's stunningly graceful
and athletic, and his legs look about
five feet long. He leaves only the tiniest five-hole because
he also gets the paddle of his stick down
low across the front of the crease. Shooters have to go upstairs
on him but he doesn't give away a lot
of net high. Khabibulin is solid in his fundamentals. He plays
well out on the top of his crease, which is
unusual for Russian goalies, who tend to stay deep in their net.
He is aggressive but patient at the
same time, and waits for the shooter to commit first. Khabibulin
needs to improve his work with the
stick around the net and needs to control his rebounds better.
He hates to move the puck. He gets
himself into trouble when he does because his clearing attempts
are easily picked off.
The Mental Game
Khabibulin has shown that he has the desire and the temperament
to be a number one goalie. He
stayed sharp despite a stretch of 42 consecutive starts.
The Intangibles
Khabibulin may be one of the most underrated goalies in the NHL
and hasn't reached his prime yet.
Projection
Khabibulin should get another 30-win season but will be sharper
for the playoffs (he may be asked to
play in the Olympics for Russia) with reduced ice time.