Rumours from Russia: Radulov staying in KHL

by James Mirtle on May 28, 2009 1:16 PM CDT Comment 20 comments

Buffalo Sabres right winger Maxim Afinogenov, of Russia, meets with the media after cleaning out his locker in Buffalo, N.Y. on Monday, April 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

6 months ago: Buffalo Sabres right winger Maxim Afinogenov, of Russia, meets with the media after cleaning out his locker in Buffalo, N.Y. on Monday, April 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

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More tidbits from news sources and journalists in Mother Russia as the KHL's free agency season hits high gear. And there's some bad news for Predators fans:

According to Sport Express, Alexander Radulov has turned down the Predators overtures to return to the NHL next season and will remain in the KHL. He signed a two-year deal with Salavat Yulayev Ufa last summer, then won a world championship gold earlier this month in Switzerland and is looking toward participation in the 2010 Olympics in February. Salavat recently hired national team coach Slava Bykov as head coach, and Radulov wants to work with him both in the KHL and in Vancouver at the Games.
Max Afinogenov's former Russian league team, Dynamo Moscow, is anticipating his return given his contract is up in the NHL and he's unlikely to receive much interest as a free agent after a brutal season in Buffalo.
Penguins winger Miroslav Satan has also been offered a contract in the KHL with Barys Astana in Kazakhstan. I'm sure he's still looking to play his way into another NHL contract in the playoffs, but I wouldn't rule out this move. The money appears to be pretty good.
Former Caps winger Viktor Kozlov, who earlier this week announced he will be playing in the KHL next season, is likely to land with either Salavat Yulaev and Lada Togliatti.

My thanks to those that sent these in. (I've got fans in the Russia media apparently.) Again, these are simply reports from various newspaper and media outlets on that side of the pond, and their veracity isn't always that clear.

So far, however, a lot of what I've been sent has made a big splash in the North American press not long after, so I'll keep putting this out there and let you make of it what you will.

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Afinogenov

I think he would like to stay in the NHL if given the choice. That said he is likely to be offered more money from the KHL and that may be enough for him to go back home…

Blue and Gold (of Buffalo)

by Ebscer on May 28, 2009 1:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Minimum Afinogenov?

1) We’ll see if Max truly wants to stay in the NHL as he’s unlikely to get too many offers and probably NONE will pay him nearly the 3.5 mil he got the past two years!

I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else

by Fauxrumors on May 28, 2009 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea, I think he will get some offers, but probably all well below 2 million…

Blue and Gold (of Buffalo)

by Ebscer on May 28, 2009 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Afinogenov was woefully misused by Ruff last year. The guy is never going to be the point per game type he was coming out of the lockout, but he can still be a sparkplug for a team with a lousy transition game and put up 15-20 goals and 45-50 points if used right. Oddly enough, the Sabres have a lousy transition game and ignored him.

He was pretty effective after he came back from the injury (and he claimed to have been healthy for weeks before they put him back in the lineup)…4-4-8, +7 in 14 games. But Ruff would bench him seemingly any time he had a poor game.

Putting Dominic Moore in the lineup over Afinogenov in the last, meaningless game of the season was a slap in the face to the longest tenured player on the team. He won’t get many offers, and he’d be lucky to make even half of what he made last year, but Afinogenov can help some teams.

by Make a play Whitner on May 28, 2009 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree that Ruff misused/mishandled Afinogenov last year and probably the year before as well. It ticked me off to see Max get benched every time he made a mistake, while other players (e.g., Derek Roy and Jason Pominville) never paid the same price for their mistakes. I think Max will go to Russia next year, play well enough to ignite some interest, and come back to the NHL. Hopefully to a team where he can be used correctly.

I’ve been a fan of Max since he started in Rochester, and I really wanted to see him play that final game as a Sabre. I was pretty angry he was scratched that day.

by Anne M on May 28, 2009 9:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

/pours one out

I’m gonna need a new handle.

"Hey! Farmboy! Maybe you can't count, but there are four of us and one of you."

"So get some more guys and then it'll be an even fight."

by Afino on May 29, 2009 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

BTW, Kovalev’s agent gave a pretty firm denial via RDS that he had received an offer from the Habs, and the captaincy of the Habs is definitely not something that enters into negotiations. Kovalev is on vacation and they don’t expect to hear from the Habs until he’s returned.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on May 28, 2009 1:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I saw that. I wonder if this stuff is coming from people close to Kovalev, given he’s over in Russia, or is made up entirely.

Like I said the other day, if the batting average on this stuff turns out to be very poor, I’ll stop posting it. These are reports appearing in large newspapers overseas, but even so, take them for what they’re worth.

Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com

by James Mirtle on May 28, 2009 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m starting to think the Habs would be better off without Kovalev for media purposes alone. The Montreal media is crazy enough; it seems like, for whatever reason, Kovalev is constantly denying what’s written about him in Russia.

I've been looking at the sky

by Back In Black on May 28, 2009 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Montreal would have to be insane to give Alex 6 mil. The clincher that this had to be fabricated was the captaincy inclusion. Can NOT see Gainey awarding ‘The C’ to someone who he told to ‘go home’ late this past season.

I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else

by Fauxrumors on May 28, 2009 2:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish

Someone would give Gainey $6 million to go home to his cottage instead of pretending to be a relevant GM in Montreal.

by Exit716 on May 28, 2009 7:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would continue to post them, possibly with a disclaimer, because they do cause discussion, out of disucssion often comes information not known before..

Along those lines Miroslav Satan to Bary Astana raises a question based on on the following

Barys Astana has cut its budget from US$32 mio to US$20 mio, i.e. US$12 mio. of which 1/3 is caused by the depreciation of the Russian rouble.

Cause: the financial crisis.

For now, the club does not intend to release any of the players whose contracts have been extended, but it cannot afford to make new expensive signings.

by cubanpuckstopper on May 28, 2009 1:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No big loss(es)

1) The (continued) loss of Radulov is the only significant name here. All the others best days are behind them. Few will miss them next fall.
2) We wonder when the Jagr back to the NHL rumours will start to intensify?

I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else

by Fauxrumors on May 28, 2009 2:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Whoa

Max Afinogenov looks like one of the possible casting choices for Encino Man.

http://sacrificethebody.blogspot.com/
Sacrifice the Body - Examining the NHL through statistical analysis, reasoned thought, and blind conjecture.

by IAmJoe on May 28, 2009 2:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

We were thinking more Willem Dafoe? LOL

I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else

by Fauxrumors on May 28, 2009 2:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah that's a really big blow for the Preds

I know it would possibly mess with team chemistry, but I was really hoping for him back.

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by smashville on May 28, 2009 3:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

when will we just settle this and have a annual stanley cup winner versus russian league winner ala the european soxccer champions league

by chrisj on May 29, 2009 7:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Never. An NHL loss in such a game would diminish the league’s standing as the premier professional hockey league. The last thing the NHL wants to do is showcase another league that will overpay NHL players thus raising NHL salaries, and create more contractual, drafting, and transfer agreement problems than they already have.

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity

by Mike @ MHH on May 29, 2009 8:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Your first point about the NHL needing to keep its standing as the world’s premier hockey league is very true and the real reason why it wouldn’t happen.

Also, good point about the transfer issue as well.

However, “thus raising NHL salaries” is completely wrong – it would actually have the opposite effect most likely, since the cap and therefore salaries are based off of league revenues. If the NHL brings in less revenue from no longer being the best hockey league in the world (people don’t come out as much to see lesser talent, etc), then less of that revenue is paid to salaries, therefore salaries drop.

"Hey! Farmboy! Maybe you can't count, but there are four of us and one of you."

"So get some more guys and then it'll be an even fight."

by Afino on May 29, 2009 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Two KHL Clubs Excluded From Junior Draft

From the KHL web site:

KHL Board Of Directors May Exclude HC Khimik And HC Vityaz From 2009/2010 KHL Championship

HC Khimik and HC Vityaz have not provided the necessary documentation of clubs financing in the future season. In addition, these clubs have debts to pay to the players and coaches.

The decision on further Khimik and Vityaz KHL membership will be made at next KHL Board of Directors Meeting in June. Before the Meeting these clubs have an opportunity to rectify the situation.

Hockey club Khimik and Vityaz will not participate in KHL Junior Draft.

Hockey Club Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg, which filed an application for participation in Kontinental Hockey League Championship, has been admitted to Junior Draft and will take the last, 23rd number.

by Big Picture Guy on May 29, 2009 10:40 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs