Speculation: Alexander Radulov Thread | Successfully Swam The Atlantic | Where Will He Sign?

[The Kingslayer]

Ilya Kovalchuk is the best player not in the NHL.

That video of him hitting his coach tells me all I need to know.

I would love to see Radulov try to pull that stunt on Roy lol. Roy would prolly throw a bike at Radulov and waterboard him with gatorade.

 

[Chileiceman]

Radulov is the best player outside the NHL and would be a huge addition to any team that gets him. He was very good in his short stint with Nashville when he briefly came back, hands down their best player. He is a headcase, but if there is anyone that could put him in his place if he ever acted up, it's Roy.

I would expect Colorado to have the inside track at signing him when he becomes a free agent. But it won't be cheap because the KHL will throw all the Rubles at him to stay. The nice thing is that he will be available to be signed as soon as his season in Russia is done, which could be as early as March.

 

[Lemieux22]

The nice thing is that he will be available to be signed as soon as his season in Russia is done, which could be as early as March.

Wow, I forgot about that. Wouldn't he make a lovely playoff stretch addition? Would love to see him with Grigorenko on the PP

 

[AvsRobin]

Wow, I forgot about that. Wouldn't he make a lovely playoff stretch addition? Would love to see him with Grigorenko on the PP

I think he would have to pass through waivers if we sign him as late as march, no?

 

[Thepoolmaster]

I think he would have to pass through waivers if we sign him as late as march, no?

As I understand it yes.

 

[AslanRH]

I think he would have to pass through waivers if we sign him as late as march, no?

unless there is some weird exemption about the KHL season ending first that I havent found since the whole ROR offersheet fiasco, yes.

 

[dahrougem2]

I am going to be heart broken when he signs with the wild

The Wild only like to sign players born in Minnesota, so you don't have to worry about that

 

[FoppaForsberg*]

Am I the only one that hopes we do not sign him?

 

[cgf]

Am I the only one that hopes we do not sign him?

I should hope so.

 

[tigervixxxen]

My opinion truly centers on what the cost is both monetarily and to our roster but I'm not worried about it at the moment, just fun speculation

 

[CB Joe]

Am I the only one that hopes we do not sign him?

I'm leaning towards no. It all depends on the cost, term, and other options available.

 

[Bonzai12]

But it won't be cheap because the KHL will throw all the Rubles at him to stay.

thats a lot of ruble

 

[FoppaForsberg*]

Anything that risks our core I wouldn't touch him. If we were to sign him, I would want him on short term, one or two year deal for 4.5 - 5M. If it wasn't for his major personality and off ice issues I'd LOVE to have him, but I don't want a guy to come in and disrupt the locker room and culture we're trying to establish.

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Anything that risks our core I wouldn't touch him. If we were to sign him, I would want him on short term, one or two year deal for 4.5 - 5M. If it wasn't for his major personality and off ice issues I'd LOVE to have him, but I don't want a guy to come in and disrupt the locker room and culture we're trying to establish.

I believe the target culture is a "winning culture"
Radulov on the team would certainly promote that culture

you've all seen what happens when you stack a team with "locker room guys" like talbot and mcleod. theres a point where you have to learn to deal with players with egos if you want to win championships

 

[Pokecheque]

I believe the target culture is a "winning culture"
Radulov on the team would certainly promote that culture

you've all seen what happens when you stack a team with "locker room guys" like talbot and mcleod. theres a point where you have to learn to deal with players with egos if you want to win championships

Could not agree more. "He doesn't fit the culture" was apparently the statement bandied about in Boston to justify trading Tyler Seguin. However I do believe in some very extreme cases some players truly can be disruptive in a way that negates whatever they bring to the table as a positive.

But yes, absolutely, "good in the room" is quite possibly the most overrated characteristic valued by front offices.

In the end, if Roy thinks he can make it work and Rads wants another go at it, fine. But I just don't think the guy is worth the trouble, nor is he worth the hype.

 

[Tweaky]

Locker room cancer has a ton to do with talent as well. When you have the talent of a Patrick Kane or Tyler Seguin, you can be a disruption and still be valuable to a team. Also, degree and type of disruption matter as well...if you have a few minor off ice issues, and are late a couple times, that i not that big a deal to me; fooling around with a teammate's wife is another story. So if you are a superstar talent, and occasionally act like a child, coach gets paid enough to deal with it. But if your talent level and cancer stage is more Sean Avery + Stage 4...you need to be gone.

Rads might be a handful, but Roy would not bring him over if he could not handle him. And his talent is easily worth the hassle. Term and $$ are debatable, given our other needs..but I bet something could be worked out.

 

[cgf]

If Radulov where named Joe Smith he would get called a passionate player who plays with his heart on his sleeve. Since he's got a villain's last name he gets called a locker-room cancer who's bad for the image of a league that lets Voynov, Ribiero, Bertuzzi and Cooke cash checks.

No matter what you call him he's an exceptional hockey player who would be amazing to add to our young core.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I hate the Russian character assassination bias too but let's not gloss over the actual things that have happened. KHL fans even admit Radulov gets away with a ton of ****.

 

[member 116861]

If Radulov where named Joe Smith he would get called a passionate player who plays with his heart on his sleeve. Since he's got a villain's last name he gets called a locker-room cancer who's bad for the image of a league that lets Voynov, Ribiero, Bertuzzi and Cooke cash checks.

No matter what you call him he's an exceptional hockey player who would be amazing to add to our young core.

I think he would still be hated if he was Canadian. A lot of Canadians that are pieces of **** are hated around the league. BUT having a Russian last name makes it so much worse for him. Reading comments about him, you would think he is like one of the guys you listed.

 

[lonelybadger]

I would be excited for Radulov as long as it was less than 6 million but I doubt he takes that

 

[henchman21]

thats a lot of ruble

You know it is bad for the ruble when that number is AFTER a rebound... it was down to .014 at one point this spring.

For those that don't keep track of currencies... the past few years prior to the sanctions and the Ukraine situation... the Ruble was around .03-.035 mostly.

 

[lonelybadger]

Radulov still gets paid in US dollars though right?

 

[henchman21]

Radulov still gets paid in US dollars though right?

The KHL contracts are in rubles... there seems to be a point where they lock in an exchange rate for some players, but teams abiding by that agreement is a totally different story.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Great player, but hard for me to get excited when it can't even happen for another year.

 

[The Merchant]

Hard to believe that when Rads signed his KHL contract he was making over $9 Million (US) a year, but now only makes a little over 5. I'm sure that'll be a motivating factor to rejoin the NHL next year...I'd gladly pay him around 6 depending on how the big-3 contracts turn out.