Alexander Radulov puts up points.
That right there is why there’s interest in him, despite what happened during his last NHL stint with Nashville, not to mention a few other things that have called his character into question.
Radulov, in case you hadn’t heard, is reportedly exploring a return to North America next season. The 29-year-old had 65 points in 53 games for CSKA Moscow this past regular season -- by far the most points on his team -- and he’s been almost a point-a-game player while helping CSKA romp to the Gagarin Cup finals.
He’s proven he’s not just a KHL scorer, too. He has 102 points in 154 career NHL games, including 47 goals.
If he does return to the NHL for the 2016-17 campaign, it could be with Colorado. Avs head coach Patrick Roy coached him in junior, and there have been reports that Roy would like to coach him again.
But according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, “there are more teams” than just Colorado in the mix. The Toronto Maple Leafs have come up in speculation, because of course they have. The Rangers and Islanders, too.
Signing Radulov would be a gamble for sure, but we’ve seen teams gamble on talent before. Radulov will turn 30 in July, meaning he’s running out of time to make a go of it in the NHL.
The question is, how motivated is he to do that?
If it’s enough to sign a relatively low-risk deal, don’t be surprised to see him back next season.