Radulov showing no regrets

[Wings_Fan_In_Exile 3]

Radulov showing no regrets

"The NHL for 15 years has brought young players from Europe, first and foremost from Russia," Radulov said, via a translation on Russianprospects.com. "I think that it is time to end this. Simply put: (It's) time to stop robbing us."

Salavat claims Radulov's deal was agreed to June 25 and signed July 8, two days before the NHL's agreement with Russia, and therefore is not in violation.

"I completely agree with the position of my new club," Radulov said. "During the signing of the contract there was no agreement between the NHL and the KHL. If we didn't violate any rules, what is there to punish for?"

Yeah I know, boring thread. Stupid offseason.

[Dabura 12,232]

SALAVAT?! That guy owes me money!

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Stopping robbing us? Robbing is taking something forcefully that does not belong to you. The NHL is not robbing Europe. No one is pointing a gone to their heads telling them to come over here. Thats the equivalent of saying Detroit robbed Pittsburgh of Hossa.

Simply put, if you want to keep your best players, then give them the best competition. So far, the KHL and others haven't done that.

..and if you ask me, its just sour grapes from Radulov. He probably wants to live the superstar life with the big money and tons of girls but can't do that in the NHL when hes ass-ugly and not a big-time point producer (yet). But I have nothing against his choice. Whatever floats his boat.

[Yemack 1]

That is a very sensitive comment Radulov (or whoever) made because there is a power game going on betw/ Russia and US right now.

It is true though a lot of russian stars left the country for their career. If a russian hockey fan made that comment it would be more understandable but Radulov is in no position to make such comment.

But again, this isn't the first time I've read some outragous comment in the news. Well I don't want to turn this into a politic thread so I'll end it here.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Translation: Radulov was sick of losing to the Red Wings all of the time.

[SweWings 45]

Radulov is a pawn.

[thedisappearer 291]

Russia is getting ballsy all over the place. Look at Georgia (not the state, the European republic...). Russia wants a new Cold War. It's really that simple.

On a non-political note- if he wants to leave, fine. I'll let his "I signed before the agreement" thing slide. But letting players under contract elsewhere play is a bad precedent.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Russia is getting ballsy all over the place. Look at Georgia (not the state, the European republic...). Russia wants a new Cold War. It's really that simple.

On a non-political note- if he wants to leave, fine. I'll let his "I signed before the agreement" thing slide. But letting players under contract elsewhere play is a bad precedent.

I have no problem with him leaving. It may set a bad precedent, but you don't want to make players play for your team (or your league) when they don't want to. Isn't good for the lockerroom, isn't good for the league. My issue is with his comment about the NHL "robbing" Russia, especially coming from a guy who opted to play juniors in Canada, let alone play in the NHL voluntarily.

I do, however, hope the league looks into some sort of compensation for this loss. Even if Nashville is a "rival" of ours, its still not fair. And if this happened to the Wings with Filppula or Hudler, I'd be pissed. I'd like to see Nashville get a 1st round pick as compensation for losing Radulov, who at 21 was already a good NHL talent. And hes worth more than Blake Wheeler, whom Phoenix got a 2nd round pick as compensation for "losing".

[Earthhuman 8]

Right on- Nashville deserves a shot at drafting another player. I'm sure that the GM got a chance to talk to him first, or else why would he draft him, in the first round, no less? So the question is, did Radulov say he would do what it took to play in the NHL, or did he not comment on it, and that was the risk Nashville was taking?

[Jedi 1,865]

If he is so sick of the NHL's armed robbery, why did he ever come here in the first place?

[Louisville 112]

Wow. What a tool. Dare I say, feel pretty bad for Nashville and they need some kind of high pick to offset this garbage.

I thought this kid was going to terrorize us for years to come, then again maybe he wasn't to happy being tied down to the hockey capital of the south.

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

we didn't want your smoosh face anyway

[RedWingedKitten 9]

Is he not being a sort of hypocrite? He did sign with Nashville after all. Or did they come to his house, put a gun to his head and say "sign this contract or die"

[Outsider 42]

If a russian hockey fan made that comment it would be more understandable but Radulov is in no position to make such comment.

With all due respect, this comment makes little to no sense.

Radulov was born in Russia. He learned to play hockey in Russia. He probably idolized Russian players as a kid. I'd hazard that he didn't become a hockey player because he wasn't a fan of the game.

It's almost a certainty that Radulov has been a Russian hockey FAN for far longer than he's been a Russian hockey player.

He probably watched his heroes, the players he idolized as a kid, the players he dreamed of modeling his game after, leave for the glamorous life, the fabulous cash and prizes, the wealth and fame, of the NHL. Never again to play hockey in front of the fans who watched them grow as players from boys into men on the cusp of their best hockey ever, only to be snatched away before their very best came to fruition.

Imagine watching Gretzky, Lemieux, Trottier, YZERMAN, all throughout their Junior careers, eagerly anticipating the day when their full potential would be realized, and you'd finally get to see them in all their glory.

Then imagine them being lured away, one after the other, at the tender age of 18, before they've even scratched the surface of their talent.

Imagine being left with nothing but the dregs of your League, the left-overs that that "other" League didn't want, but remembering that you once saw Stevie play in your home town of Nepean. And you just knew, even then, that that kid was gonna be something special.

Now Imagine Steve Yzerman.....as a boy.....an aspiring hockey player himself.....

Never having the chance to see Bryan Trottier, HIS hero, the Player HE idolized, the Player HE aspired to be. Imagine Trotts snatched from Stevie by some "other" League, thousands of miles, and oceans away.

Without Trottier as his role model, does Steve Yzerman become The Captain?

[stactum 4]

With all due respect, this comment makes little to no sense.

Radulov was born in Russia. He learned to play hockey in Russia. He probably idolized Russian players as a kid. I'd hazard that he didn't become a hockey player because he wasn't a fan of the game.

It's almost a certainty that Radulov has been a Russian hockey FAN for far longer than he's been a Russian hockey player.

He probably watched his heroes, the players he idolized as a kid, the players he dreamed of modeling his game after, leave for the glamorous life, the fabulous cash and prizes, the wealth and fame, of the NHL. Never again to play hockey in front of the fans who watched them grow as players from boys into men on the cusp of their best hockey ever, only to be snatched away before their very best came to fruition.

Imagine watching Gretzky, Lemieux, Trottier, YZERMAN, all throughout their Junior careers, eagerly anticipating the day when their full potential would be realized, and you'd finally get to see them in all their glory.

Then imagine them being lured away, one after the other, at the tender age of 18, before they've even scratched the surface of their talent.

Imagine being left with nothing but the dregs of your League, the left-overs that that "other" League didn't want, but remembering that you once saw Stevie play in your home town of Nepean. And you just knew, even then, that that kid was gonna be something special.

Now Imagine Steve Yzerman.....as a boy.....an aspiring hockey player himself.....

Never having the chance to see Bryan Trottier, HIS hero, the Player HE idolized, the Player HE aspired to be. Imagine Trotts snatched from Stevie by some "other" League, thousands of miles, and oceans away.

Without Trottier as his role model, does Steve Yzerman become The Captain?

You brought up a good point.

BUT on a different note the whole Radulov situation makes no sense to me at all. He obviously has some talent and that would have been his contract year. Considering how much money some players made this year he could have gotten pretty good money. I heard that Salavat offered him around $3mil and since taxes in Russia are not even comparable to US - that is pretty much the salary he gets. This may have something to do with this whole playoff incident where he "injured" Arnott

[Sperber 0]

very goog point indeed outsider.

as far as i know the khl clubs get no compensation for the players they educate and mentor, so this adds up to the feeling of losing all their elite players to the nhl.

on the other hand: do the nhl cluns get any compensation if a young canadian player chooses to play over there?

[akustyk 84]

Radulov was born in Russia. He learned to play hockey in Russia. He probably idolized Russian players as a kid.

(...)

very good point. some ppl in North America simply don't get the fact

that European players get away from their home country and that

European fans have right to be sore about not being able to watch

their home-grown talent. because bloody NHL limits its broadcast

to NA and as a European fan (and there are about as many hockey

fans in Europe than in North America) you don't get much chance

to see "your" players other than Sopcast which is mostly of crappy

quality.

let's just imagine Gretzky or Yzerman playing their careers in Russian

league and ask Canadian people if they'd feel OK with this. and that

about sums it up

[lfd250 1]

Can't blame him for going. More money, check. Bigger head, check. Play where they speak what you speak, check. Think about it, you're working for company A, company B comes at you with more money, closer to home, and a bigger role, what would you do. Contract or no contract. Go to company A (which he migh have done) and say this is what I have on the table, what do you have? Yes, there's loyaty, company A has paid for most of your training and gave you your start, but there's talk of moving the company, being bought out by another company what are you going to do? Me, I like stable.

[Yemack 1]

With all due respect, this comment makes little to no sense.

Radulov was born in Russia. He learned to play hockey in Russia. He probably idolized Russian players as a kid. I'd hazard that he didn't become a hockey player because he wasn't a fan of the game.

er.. I wasnt born in north america. I know what it's like in outside the world where people have to deal with things being taken away fairly and unfairly.

However, having said that, if Radulov had such a patriotic heart, he didn't have to sign with Preds in a first place and should have played in Russian league instead. No russian mafia put a gun in his head when he made that decision. He wasn't snatched away by Preds against his will neither. It was his choice, a russian hockey fan's choice to play over here for whatever reason. Did NHL somehow kidnap Malkin and Ovechkin from Russia? No, they flew out on their own choice. Do I blame them? No. People do what is best for them.

If Radulov really wanted to do what is right, he should have honoured his fans in Nashville and said 'I'm sorry but I want to go play in Russia for such reasons blah blah, it was such a great memory getting asswhooped by Wings blah blah' rather than flee like the exact same robber he described and make a backstab comment to his former club and spare some BS comments

As a young russian hockey fan, one might feel like Ovechkin, Malkin and Datsyuk were snatched away by these evil money machines from NHL but the reality is quite different. They walked out on their own and making Russia proud in world's best stage.

If Ovechkin walked out of his $10M contract to play in Russia for less money.. It would be more convincing. Radulov? who cares about that punk. Let him earn some $3M tax free money in Russia because noone's gonna miss him.

Edited August 16, 2008 by Yemack

[2probert4 8]

er.. I wasnt born in north america. I know what it's like in outside the world where people have to deal with things being taken away fairly and unfairly.

However, having said that, if Radulov had such a patriotic heart, he didn't have to sign with Preds in a first place and should have played in Russian league instead. No russian mafia put a gun in his head when he made that decision. He wasn't snatched away by Preds against his will neither. It was his choice, a russian hockey fan's choice to play over here for whatever reason. Did NHL somehow kidnap Malkin and Ovechkin from Russia? No, they flew out on their own choice. Do I blame them? No. People do what is best for them.

If Radulov really wanted to do what is right, he should have honoured his fans in Nashville and said 'I'm sorry but I want to go play in Russia for such reasons blah blah, it was such a great memory getting asswhooped by Wings blah blah' rather than flee like the exact same robber he described and make a backstab comment to his former club and spare some BS comments

As a young russian hockey fan, one might feel like Ovechkin, Malkin and Datsyuk were snatched away by these evil money machines from NHL but the reality is quite different. They walked out on their own and making Russia proud in world's best stage.

If Ovechkin walked out of his $10M contract to play in Russia for less money.. It would be more convincing. Radulov? who cares about that punk. Let him earn some $3M tax free money in Russia because noone's gonna miss him.

Coming into the NHL, Radulov was known as a very immature kid who let his temper do the talking. He has all the talent in the world with a 2 cent brain controlling it. Many people think that if Nashville had approached him about an extention during last season, he would still be there, but uncertainty with the DelBaggio situation and who knows if the team moves in a few years or not could be part of it.

[Donaldjr2448 43]

Coming into the NHL, Radulov was known as a very immature kid who let his temper do the talking. He has all the talent in the world with a 2 cent brain controlling it. Many people think that if Nashville had approached him about an extention during last season, he would still be there, but uncertainty with the DelBaggio situation and who knows if the team moves in a few years or not could be part of it.

WOW thats funny because he played with another 2 cent brain in TooToo and Arnott! I still say that Rads is making a huge mistake. The KHL may never take off and if it doesn't he burnt a huge bridge, we all know that no other NHL team will EVER pick him up. OK ok maybe the LA Kings

[2probert4 8]

WOW thats funny because he played with another 2 cent brain in TooToo and Arnott! I still say that Rads is making a huge mistake. The KHL may never take off and if it doesn't he burnt a huge bridge, we all know that no other NHL team will EVER pick him up. OK ok maybe the LA Kings

If and when he returned to the NHL and was available, teams would be falling all over themselves to get him. He has a ton of talent when he's got his head on right.

[Slave 31]

If and when he returned to the NHL and was available, teams would be falling all over themselves to get him. He has a ton of talent when he's got his head on right.

/concur

[akustyk 84]

/concur

well... looking at Predators last playoffs I'd dare to say Radulov's been among their

top players. sure they weren't exactly the most talented pack out there but they

played quite competitive and with heart. and there's definitely lot to like about

Radulov's play. he's no second coming of Howe or Gretzky but he has his market

value and is definitely NHL quality player

[Shockwave180 0]

Russia is flush with multi-billionaires who have money to burn and an overly competitive fire to stoke. We've already seen this in European soccer; Russians have come in and bought out several top British clubs (most notably Roman Abramovich with Chelsea FC), and have started flinging immense and unrealistic amounts of money around. Now they're starting to do the same with hockey. And it's only going to become more prevalent over the next ten years or so.

These are all people who were extremely fortunate and well-placed when the Soviet Union crumbled and took over major oil companies and other newly-available property. They have almost unlimited cash, and Russian sports is starting to become extremely competitive with North American leagues in terms of available money (if not overall talent levels).

It's hugely shady, but it's something that the NHL is going to have to watch out for, even with the recent agreement in place.