Sergei Nikolaev

Sergei Nikolaev is a Russian goalie on Ak Bars Kazan.

One of the most experienced goalies in the league, Nikolaev has been a starter in the Russian pro leagues since 1992, when he debuted with Crystall Saratov. He has played with ten different teams over the last 18 years, including Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Lada Togliatti, Severstal Cherepovets, SKA St. Petersburg, Salavat Yulaev Ufa, and Ak Bars Kazan. He has had some excellent seasons scattered throughout his career. In 1996-97, he put up a 1.40 GAA in 38 games for Lada Togliatti, and followed that with three consecutive seasons where he kept his GAA under 2.00. He had two more solid years while playing with Salavat Yulaev Ufa, but has been relegated to a backup role since joining Ak Bars Kazan. He won his first ever league title with the club in 2009.