A native of Chelyabinsk, USSR, Andrei Nazarov was an imposing force on Moscow Dynamo when he was chosen 10th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks. He came to North America in 1993-94 and scored 33 points for the IHL's Kansas City Blades while adjusting to his new surroundings. When the NHL was shut down for the first half of the 1994-95 season, Nazarov displayed more confidence in Kansas City. He was recalled to the Sharks when the season resumed in January and drove hard to the net while demonstrating a willingness to dish out as much abuse as he was forced to absorb.
Nazarov continued to be a project for San Jose and came through with 12 goals in 1996-97. When his progress seemed to stall, the Sharks traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in March 1998. He never really fit in with his new team but was impressive after a trade sent him to the Calgary Flames in January 1999. He scored 14 points and appeared to be turning the corner as an NHL regular. In 1999-00 he scored a career-high 32 points and spent less time in the penalty box. Following a trade to Anaheim in 2000, Nazarov struggled and was limited to a mere 16 games with the Ducks before he was sent to the Boston Bruins later that season.
After parts of two seasons in Boston the hulking forward was dealt to the Phoenix Coyotes midway through the 2001-02 season where he would play for the next three seasons. In the summer of 2005, Nazarov joined his seventh NHL team when he was acquired by the Minnesota Wild.
As a member of the Minnesota Wild, Nazarov spent the majority of the season as a healthy reserve before officially announcing his retirement in July of 2006.
