Evgeny Namestnikov

Evgeny "John" Namestnikov (born October 9, 1971 in Novogrod, Russia) is a former professional ice hockey player who spent parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League.

Playing career
Namestnikov was drafted 117th overall by the Vancouver Canucks 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 1999–00 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.