A-Rad brings fire to the ice
Someone mentioned earlier in the thread about the impact Gretzky had on the West Coast during his years in LA and I just wanted to mention that the "youth" here in Nashville is having a similar impact thus far as well.
During his rookie season it was Jordin Tootoo luring new fans to the game with his "on the edge - in your face" high-energy style that lured new fans to the game and put the hook in a lot of borderline fans in the area. Tootoo's name is known throughout the market and his merchandise flys off the shelves.
Last season Paul Kariya came to Nashville and brought the star recognition for the first time in franchise history. Kariya merchandise is found throughout the arena and he is by far our most marketable player outside of the local market as well.
This season it is Alexander Radulov that is taking the game by storm here in Nashville. Through his dynamic offensive skills and sheer energy and love for the game he is drawing new fans to the game and catching the attention of the local media.
I strongly believe that combined between the continued development of Tootoo and Radulov and the star impact of Kariya and homegrown stars such as Tomas Vokoun that we will see a similiar long-term impact here in Nashville.