The Return of Radulov and why you're wrong about everything

Alex pointing out how wrong you are.So, what are people flipping out about this week in the NHL? Its not the red line returning to the game, concussions, Sidney Crosby (ok, maybe a little bit about Crosby), or any of the usual suspects. Right now fans around the league are all bent out of shape about the possible return of Alexander Radulov to the NHL and the Nashville Predators. As a heads up, this piece will not address locker room chemistry, what Radulov would add, or anything like that.

For those that don’t keep up with all things Predators, Russian, and ambiguous Radulov was suspened indefinitely by the Nashville Predators due to him going to visit Mother Russia only to end up getting signed to a contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL and winning a whole bunch of trophies and shit despite the fact that he was legally under contract with the Predators. Since then every off-season has been every bit as bad as any will-they-won’t-they plotline from your favorite/most hated sitcom. That brings us to the present. With Ufa getting knocked out in the first round of the KHL playoffs everyone began whispering about whether Radulov would come back. This was a ton of fun since no one knew a damned thing about anything, at all. The word damn out today through Renaud Lavoie that Rads wouldn’t have to pass through any waivers if he wanted to come back. He could be on a plane to Nashville and playing that same day if everyone was so inclined. This fact has the world up in arms. I’m here to address that.

Serious, does it look like he cares what you think?The rule is that if a guy has played in the regular season for a team overseas and then gets signed to a NHL contract he has to pass through waivers in order to play. Well, that certainly would fit Radulov. At least you would think it would. But there are two factors you have to remember. First, Radulov has a current contract with an NHL team that was signed way back in 2006 (ish). He isn’t signing a new contract or anything of the sort. He would simply be continuing to fulfill the commitment he had already made. Second is something I mentioned earlier, Radulov’s current status with the league is that he is suspended. The fact that he just happened to have jumped ship and found a job in another country is almost immaterial. Hell, the guy has to make money to live while he’s suspended, so why can’t he just play hockey somewhere else? (the only problem there is that Rads did things in the wrong order) The Predators could remove him from suspension anytime they wanted and “activate” him. In reality Radulov is an oddball case. The waiver rules do not fit the situation due to the suspended status.

Now of course people are angry because there exists the possibility that an already threatening playoff team may get the best hockey player not in the NHL right before the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But here’s the bottom line: all of this is really simply and needs to be seen from the point of view of the league. The Predators suspended Radulov for no fulfilling his contract. The NHL and NHLPA acknowledge that suspension. If Radulov announces that he is prepared to fulfill his contract the Predators decide they want to remove the suspension then that, is that. The whole business with NHL and NHLPA agreeing that Rad wouldn’t have to pass through waivers may have come from GM David Poile being a good GM. If we assume, and we don’t know this, that Poile inquired to the league and the players association about Radulov’s status he did so to clear up ambiguity and to show respect for the league and players.

Is Radulov coming back? Who knows; The NHL and NHLPA have given the ok, Poile, Trotz, and team leaders have said nothing but nice things about him, and the KHL has said they don’t block the move. We will just have to wait and see. And after all, we are talking about a guy that wore green Ufa gloves in his red Team Russia jersey....