Back to the KHL With Ye!

You may remember the Alexander Radulov saga this season in which Radulov was being lured by the Nashville Predators to play out his NHL contract.  One problem: his KHL contract, as in he couldn't leave for the NHL while the contract is in effect.  So, the Predators negotiated a deal that would bring him to the NHL while leaving the door open for the KHL.  Well, it looks like Radulov will be going back through that door, as his KHL team's original holder Salavat Yulaev traded his rights to CSKA.  Without getting into how or why Radulov is going back to the KHL, let's look at his NHL tenure: both of them.

In 2004, he was the 15th overall pick of the Predators, and would come to North America to play for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL for two seasons.  His NHL debut happened in the 2006-07 season, and he would go on to play that season and the next, where he amassed 44 goals and 51 assists in that time.  After the 2007-08 season, he would bolt for the KHL.  He made his return to the NHL this season after Salavat Yulaev's season ended, and he would play nine games, with 3 goals and 4 assists.  For all of the talent he flashed in his time in the NHL, it was what happened in the playoffs this year that garnered him headlines, as he was benched for games 3 and 4 in the Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Coyotes along with Andrei Kostitsyn.  His time with the Predators ended when he was made a restricted free agent, which opened a door to go back to the KHL.

As you can see, Radulov does indeed have talent, but with all of the talk about changing leagues and his off-ice behavior, is it any wonder why no NHL team jumped at the chance to get Radulov?  Sure, he can get you 30 goals a season and brings an edge that sometimes gets him in trouble (see: 2007 playoffs against San Jose), but would you want a player who has commitment issues, particularly when it comes to North American hockey?  That answer won't have to be answered by any NHL club, as it is now in the hands of CSKA.