Alex Radulov keeping his talents in KHL next season: Report

When we last left Alexander Radulov, the 30-year-old former Nashville Predators sniper was leaving the Kontinental Hockey League after four seasons for the NHL. 

The Detroit Red Wings were courting him, offering him a one-year deal in the neighborhood of $5 million, according to MLive.com. Radulov, however, had a different number in mind for his talents: TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Radulov was actually seeking a two-year commitment for a whopping $7.5 million per season.

That’s Jason Spezza money for a guy who hasn’t been in the NHL since 2012 and whose lasting legacy is missing curfew.

So Radulov shopped around and, to the surprise of no one not named “Alex Radulov,” apparently couldn’t find an NHL team that met his asking price.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, “Alexander Radulov could not find an NHL team willing to pay his asking price. He has signed with KHL Salavat.”

Radulov played for Salavat from 2008-2012, and won the Gargarin Cup (the only sports championship named after a Cosmonaut) in 2011. He was with CSKA for the rest of his KHL run.

There are some conflicted reports on his signing with the KHL, as is tradition with anyone signing in the KHL. One has the Salavat GM Leonid Vaysfeld refuting the report, via Championat.com: “The first time I heard this information, it is not true. These are the usual rumors and stuffing. I can say that there is no contract with Salavat. Alexander Radulov did not sign,” he said. 

Another has his agent claiming he hasn’t signed anywhere.

What’s obvious is that he hasn’t latched on with an NHL team despite expressing his intentions months ago. 

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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