Radulov, perchance?

[ZBBM]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=397760

Should Burke make a play for his rights?  Before you dismiss him for his off-ice issues, consider that a scoring talent like his doesn't come on the market all that often anymore.

Specifically, would it be worth giving Poile a very low pick (or another "Lebda") and then make it clear to Radulov and his agent that no nonsense would be tolerated?

 

[bustaheims]

As nice a piece as Radulov would be, he's not really the right fit for the Leafs needs (unless other guys are moved out - specifically MacArthur). On top of that, I can't see Burke going anywhere near a player who has already bolted to the KHL once and could very easily do it again this summer.

 

[Kin]

Should Burke make a play for his rights?  Before you dismiss him for his off-ice issues, consider that a scoring talent like his doesn't come on the market all that often anymore.

I think my hesitance would be less about the off-ice stuff(although that doesn't help and more about the fact that we're not entirely sure as to just what kind of offensive talent he is. He had a 26 goal, 58 point season in the NHL and then a bunch of big seasons in the KHL. What do you pay a guy like that. He may be a 75-80 point guy. Are you comfortable paying him that kind of money?

Specifically, would it be worth giving Poile a very low pick (or another "Lebda") and then make it clear to Radulov and his agent that no nonsense would be tolerated?

This is kind of a side issue but I don't think the problem in Nashville was that they told him that nonsense was welcome. If Radulov has issues with sticking to team rules then there's only so much tough talk can do or maybe more importantly there's only so much confidence talking tough to Radulov could give you.

 

[Tigger]

His talent would be useful but it's doubtful Burke would go down that road.

 

[Jalili]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=397760

Should Burke make a play for his rights?  Before you dismiss him for his off-ice issues, consider that a scoring talent like his doesn't come on the market all that often anymore.

Specifically, would it be worth giving Poile a very low pick (or another "Lebda") and then make it clear to Radulov and his agent that no nonsense would be tolerated?

Would Radulov even take that demand seriously? As great a talent as he is, whatever team acquires his rights will have to bend over backwards for him or he'll just sandbag them or head back to Russia.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Kulemin - Grabo - Radulov

That might work, everything else being equal.

 

[maplesyrup]

Might be a nice afterthought later in the summer but he'd be nowhere near the top of my list of priorities. I guess it depends on how things eventually shake down.

 

[ZBBM]

Should Burke make a play for his rights?  Before you dismiss him for his off-ice issues, consider that a scoring talent like his doesn't come on the market all that often anymore.

I think my hesitance would be less about the off-ice stuff(although that doesn't help and more about the fact that we're not entirely sure as to just what kind of offensive talent he is. He had a 26 goal, 58 point season in the NHL and then a bunch of big seasons in the KHL. What do you pay a guy like that. He may be a 75-80 point guy. Are you comfortable paying him that kind of money?

Specifically, would it be worth giving Poile a very low pick (or another "Lebda") and then make it clear to Radulov and his agent that no nonsense would be tolerated?

This is kind of a side issue but I don't think the problem in Nashville was that they told him that nonsense was welcome. If Radulov has issues with sticking to team rules then there's only so much tough talk can do or maybe more importantly there's only so much confidence talking tough to Radulov could give you.

That's just it.  Will he demand top dollar?  Who knows?

What I would do, if I were Poile (or whoever had his negotiating rights), is tell him in so many words: You're a talent, but you haven't established yourself in the NHL and if you want to play in this league you'll have to take less than you may think you're worth, both in term and in pay.

Is it worth giving up a low pick for Burke to have that conversation with him?  That's the real question.  It all depends on whether you think it's a foregone conclusion that Radulov will just say forget it, I'm going back to the KHL.  My sense is that it is not a foregone conclusion.  He did come back to NSH, after all.  That indicates more than a passing desire to play in the NHL.

 

[Kin]

That's just it.  Will he demand top dollar?  Who knows?

What I would do, if I were Poile (or whoever had his negotiating rights), is tell him in so many words: You're a talent, but you haven't established yourself in the NHL and if you want to play in this league you'll have to take less than you may think you're worth, both in term and in pay.

Is it worth giving up a low pick for Burke to have that conversation with him?  That's the real question.  It all depends on whether you think it's a foregone conclusion that Radulov will just say forget it, I'm going back to the KHL.  My sense is that it is not a foregone conclusion.  He did come back to NSH, after all.  That indicates more than a passing desire to play in the NHL.

I think one of the things that we've sort of seen though, most recently with the Vokoun deal, is that you probably don't need to trade the asset to have the conversation. If Toronto is willing to part with something for the privilege of signing Radulov that Nashville would like and Radulov would like to come to Toronto then a dialogue can probably be opened before the deal is completed.

If Nashville won't let the team talk to him beforehand and the pick you're trading is really just for the right to have that conversation before anyone else...no, that's probably not worth anything.

 

[wnc096]

Should Burke make a play for his rights?  Before you dismiss him for his off-ice issues, consider that a scoring talent like his doesn't come on the market all that often anymore.

I think my hesitance would be less about the off-ice stuff(although that doesn't help and more about the fact that we're not entirely sure as to just what kind of offensive talent he is. He had a 26 goal, 58 point season in the NHL and then a bunch of big seasons in the KHL. What do you pay a guy like that. He may be a 75-80 point guy. Are you comfortable paying him that kind of money?

Specifically, would it be worth giving Poile a very low pick (or another "Lebda") and then make it clear to Radulov and his agent that no nonsense would be tolerated?

This is kind of a side issue but I don't think the problem in Nashville was that they told him that nonsense was welcome. If Radulov has issues with sticking to team rules then there's only so much tough talk can do or maybe more importantly there's only so much confidence talking tough to Radulov could give you.

That's just it.  Will he demand top dollar?  Who knows?

What I would do, if I were Poile (or whoever had his negotiating rights), is tell him in so many words: You're a talent, but you haven't established yourself in the NHL and if you want to play in this league you'll have to take less than you may think you're worth, both in term and in pay.

Is it worth giving up a low pick for Burke to have that conversation with him?  That's the real question.  It all depends on whether you think it's a foregone conclusion that Radulov will just say forget it, I'm going back to the KHL.  My sense is that it is not a foregone conclusion.  He did come back to NSH, after all.  That indicates more than a passing desire to play in the NHL.

He probably only came back to the NHL so theat he could burn up the last year of his entry level contract that he walked out on Nashville and when he went to the KHL.  This way he has no obligation to the NHL at all anymore.  I wouldn't touch this guy with a ten foot clown pole

 

[jdh1]

I would take a chance on him if you can get him for a 4th round pick or something..what's to lose on that...or trade some 3rd line talent we have...this guy might be good.

 

[Tigger]

He probably only came back to the NHL so theat he could burn up the last year of his entry level contract that he walked out on Nashville and when he went to the KHL.  This way he has no obligation to the NHL at all anymore.  I wouldn't touch this guy with a ten foot clown pole

Just curious but why would he care about obligations to the NHL like that? Seems like it's worked out ok for him financially and Nashville still holds his rights if they qualify him.

Is there something in place between the KHL and the NHL I'm not aware of that would cause a problem for him?

 

[Deebo]

That's just it.  Will he demand top dollar?  Who knows?

What I would do, if I were Poile (or whoever had his negotiating rights), is tell him in so many words: You're a talent, but you haven't established yourself in the NHL and if you want to play in this league you'll have to take less than you may think you're worth, both in term and in pay.

Is it worth giving up a low pick for Burke to have that conversation with him?  That's the real question.  It all depends on whether you think it's a foregone conclusion that Radulov will just say forget it, I'm going back to the KHL.  My sense is that it is not a foregone conclusion.  He did come back to NSH, after all.  That indicates more than a passing desire to play in the NHL.

I think one of the things that we've sort of seen though, most recently with the Vokoun deal, is that you probably don't need to trade the asset to have the conversation. If Toronto is willing to part with something for the privilege of signing Radulov that Nashville would like and Radulov would like to come to Toronto then a dialogue can probably be opened before the deal is completed.

If Nashville won't let the team talk to him beforehand and the pick you're trading is really just for the right to have that conversation before anyone else...no, that's probably not worth anything.

He is restricted so its not quite the same as Vokoun, but the KHL is always a possibility for Radulov so you could lose whatever you trade for him.

 

[Kin]

He is restricted so its not quite the same as Vokoun, but the KHL is always a possibility for Radulov so you could lose whatever you trade for him.

My point wasn't that his rights are as valuable as Vokoun's but that teams have generally let other teams talk to a player before they trade for his rights. It really only makes sense on Nashville's part to let Toronto or whoever work out a deal with Radulov before they make the trade because that increases Radulov's value.

 

[bustaheims]

My point wasn't that his rights are as valuable as Vokoun's but that teams have generally let other teams talk to a player before they trade for his rights. It really only makes sense on Nashville's part to let Toronto or whoever work out a deal with Radulov before they make the trade because that increases Radulov's value.

That's really only an issue for a few more weeks, though. RFAs are free to negotiate with any team in late June. If they want to get a deal done before the draft, they absolutely need to give teams permission to talk to him. If time isn't an issue, they can just wait.

 

[wnc096]

He probably only came back to the NHL so theat he could burn up the last year of his entry level contract that he walked out on Nashville and when he went to the KHL.  This way he has no obligation to the NHL at all anymore.  I wouldn't touch this guy with a ten foot clown pole

Just curious but why would he care about obligations to the NHL like that? Seems like it's worked out ok for him financially and Nashville still holds his rights if they qualify him.

Is there something in place between the KHL and the NHL I'm not aware of that would cause a problem for him?

He got out of the last year of his entry level deal by only playing in the last 9 games of the year (not including playoffs). 

I think that would have hung over his head in the future if he ever decided to come and play in the NHL full time again.  He would have play the last year of the contract for 900K.  Now down the road if he came back to the NHL he can sign a fresh new contract for way more.

 

[Tigger]

I dunno, seems to me he's still looking at way more money in the KHL and remains an rfa that belongs to Nashville.

I mean, I agree that burning the last year was desirable for him but I don't know about overall obligations to the NHL. Either way, I doubt Burke pursues him.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

CSKA of the KHL just acquired his rights from Salavat, I expect him to play for Moscow next year, if the've traded for his rights they must be prepared to make a can't miss type of offer to him.

 

[Deebo]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/alex-radulov-decides-khl-next-season-influenced-potential-144353214--nhl.html

He's going back to the KHL.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Oil money gonna oil money...

Alexander Radulov is headed back to Russia, according to a report on Yahoo Sports. Dmitry Chesnokov of Yahoo is reporting that Radulov has inked a four-year deal with CSKA Moscow of the KHL that will pay him $9.2 million per year.