ST. LOUIS -- The Detroit Red Wings signed free-agent goaltender

to a contract for the remainder of the season on Thursday.

Now they will wait to see if he officially becomes their property.

Nabokov, 35, must be placed on waivers at noon Friday. Any team can put in a claim for him until noon on Saturday. And considering the low amount of the contract – $570,000, which, prorated, amounts to about $250,000 for the rest of the season -- even people in the Red Wings organization believe he will be claimed.

“I wouldn't get my hopes too high; the contract is peanuts," one source said. “Anyone in need of a goaltender will put in a claim. Somebody in the West might say, 'I don't want Detroit to pick him up.'"

Red Wings general manager

declined comment, saying, “He's nobody's player until noon on Saturday.''

Coach

echoed those sentiments following Thursday's 4-3 overtime win in St. Louis.

“He's not our player, so when he becomes our player then I'll talk about him,'' Babcock said. “In the meantime, as an organization, even though we've signed him, until he clears waivers and becomes a Red Wing there's no sense talking about him."

Players were surprised by the move.

“That's out of my hands, that's up to management, what they think," goalie

said. “If he can help us, he can help us."

doubts that Nabokov will clear waivers.

“That was a bit of a surprise, but there's still a long way in the whole process before that becomes a reality that he's here," Draper said. “I don't think there's too many teams who are going to be willing to help us out (by not claiming him).

“You just have to look down the hall here (at the Blues) and see what happens with a team signing a player and him going through waivers. We'll have to see what the process is."

The Blues recently signed forwards Marek Svatos and Kyle Wellwood, only to lose them on waivers, to Nashville and San Jose, respectively.

Nabokov started the season in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League but was released by SKA St. Petersburg on Dec. 10.

Holland declined to elaborate on why he pursued Nabokov but said he is happy with his goaltending. Howard returned to the lineup Thursday, after missing two games with a bruised right knee. Joey MacDonald went 1-2-1, with a 2.53 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in his absence.

But the Red Wings apparently want some insurance in case

isn't able to return this season following surgery on Jan. 11 for a sports hernia.

Holland said Osgood remains on schedule to return in early- to mid-March.

"Everything I've been told is he's right on schedule," Holland said. “The surgery went well. He is rehabbing. Barring any setbacks, he's six to eight weeks (from the time of the surgery)."

Draper said Osgood has not expressed any doubt that he'll return this season.

“He's seen the way I responded and I basically had the same surgery (Oct. 21), same doctor (William Meyers)," Draper said. “He's just going to go through the same protocol. I've seen him a couple of times since the surgery, he's moving around, he's walking.''

Nabokov, 35, might be the best goalie not currently playing in the NHL. If he clears waivers he figures to compete with Howard for the starting job.

“I don't need anybody to push me,'' Howard said. “I push myself. I work hard in practice every single day and I just go out there and try to win games for the guys.''

Nabokov spent his entire 10-year NHL career with the Sharks, going 293-178-29-37 (W-L-T-OTL) with 50 shutouts. He is the franchise's all-time leader in games, wins and shutouts. He has a career goals-against average of 2.39 and save percentage of .912.

The biggest knock against Nabokov has been his playoff performance. The Sharks have never advanced past the Western Conference finals with Nabokov, who is 40-38, with a 2.29 GAA and .913 save percentage in the postseason.

Nabokov and the Sharks eliminated Detroit in five games in last year's Western Conference semifinals, before being swept by the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Sharks opted not to re-sign him due to salary-cap constraints.

Nabokov signed a four-year deal reportedly worth $24 million with SKA St. Petersburg. The club, however, terminated the contract for what it said was “family reasons.''

He went 8-8-5, with a 3.02 goals-against average for St. Petersburg.

Nabokov's agent, Don Meehan, didn't return a call seeking comment.