Alexander Radulov should keep his stick on the ice

With all of the attention rightfully placed on Mikhail Grigorenko as the 2012 NHL Entry Draft approaches, it was another Russian who found himself leading the charge toward a Memorial Cup for the Québec Remparts a few years ago.

That Russian was Alexander Radulov, who terrorized opposing defenders with his skill in setting a team record with 152 points in 2005-06, setting team records in goals (61) and assists (91) while maintaining a mind-boggling 50-game point streak.

Radulov’s efforts led to him capturing the major junior’s Triple Crown: The Michel Brière Memorial Trophy (QMJHL MVP), CHL Player of the Year, and the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (Memorial Cup MVP).

He’d accomplished something not even Sidney Crosby can claim, and nobody has done it since. In fact, you have to go back to Brad Richards in 1999-2000 to find the next most recent Triple Crown winner from any of the three major junior leagues.

The Nashville Predators must have thought they were sitting on the next big NHL star when they signed him to his entry-level contract. He made his debut during the 2006-07 season, and he stuck around while scoring at a rate of 0.65 points per game through his first two seasons as a Predator.

Then, in the summer of 2008, a 22-year-old Radulov bolted back to Russia to play in the KHL to play for Salavat Yulaev Ufa. This came in spite of having the Predators, the NHL and the IIHF all release statements stating Radulov would be breaching his contract if he returned to Russia.
Nevertheless, Radulov went to the KHL citing better conditions, and he’s been a point-per-game player ever since while capturing the 2010 KHL MVP honours.

Radulov was enjoying his career out of the North American hockey spotlight, setting KHL records while helping Ufa to the 2011 Gagarin Cup.

Then, this happened.


Now, I’m not exactly sure what happened to cause the stick-swinging in the first place. Maybe it was a bad shift for Radulov, maybe a fan was heckling him, or maybe he wasn’t happy with his playing time, it could be just about anything. I’m not one to convict without a fair trial and argument, because it could have been accidental for all we know.

With that said, the constant line we hear from analysts when a stick infraction gets called is ‘You have to be in control of your stick at all times, regardless of where you are.’

Evidently, Radulov didn’t get the memo that the rule also applies while you’re on the bench. If it didn’t, professional hockey would be an extended Slap Shot movie.

More importantly, regardless of the scenario, you DO NOT hit one of your coaches. It’s often said coaches are merely ‘hired to be fired,’ but they should be respected while they’re coaching you. From Alexander Ovechkin’s saga with Bruce Boudreau earlier this season to Radulov’s actions here, it looks as if that respect is slowly starting to go the way of the 1-3-1 trap system.

Would Tiger Williams have struck Roger Neilson in the late 1970s and early 1980s while ‘Captain Video’ coached him? I’m sure he would have wanted to by times, but I couldn’t see him doing it out of respect for Neilson.

To Radulov’s partial credit, he does appear to wave as if to apologize to the coach, but it appears to be half-hearted. It’s just my observation (Note: My views are mine alone, and they certainly don’t reflect those of the rest of The Q Spot staff), but if I were in Radulov’s situation and was truly remorseful, I’d check with the coach to see if he was OK instead of turning my attention back to the play. I’m also fully aware that it could have just happened in the heat of the moment, but there’s no excuse for what he did because Radulov should have had control of his stick, plain and simple.

Even a more sincere acknowledgment of wrongdoing would have sufficed, because he seemed to shrug it off without any further communication.

Sadly, this will be the memory of Radulov that permeates our minds unless he returns to North America to play again someday. He may well be the most talented hockey player not currently in the NHL right now, but unless he does something magical, he could become the next Alexander Perezhogin.

Radulov has a world of talent, but he needs to keep his stick on the ice if he hopes to capitalize on it.

Rosters Announced For 2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with the three regional leagues, the Kelowna Rockets Hockey Club, and Home Hardware Stores Limited, today announced the 40 CHL players that will compete in the 2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Prospera Place in Kelowna, BC, on February 1, 2012.


“The Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game showcases 40 of the league’s top prospects eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft,” said CHL President David Branch. “Congratulations to all 40 players selected for this event representing the next wave of talent to the NHL, with the opportunity to showcase their skills before hundreds of NHL scouts in attendance and for fans in Kelowna and CHL fans watching live across Canada on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.”

30 of the CHL’s 59 member clubs are represented in this game including three players from the OHL’s Belleville Bulls. Eight other teams have two players competing in the event including the host Kelowna Rockets who will be represented by forward Colton Sissons and defenceman Damon Severson.

“The Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is an event that all NHL scouts look forward to attending,” said NHL Central Scouting Director Dan Marr. “The 40 players competing in this game were chosen by the 30 NHL clubs with the game being a unique opportunity to evaluate 40 of the top draft eligible prospects on a single stage in what has annually become an intense competition.”

The rosters include all three players that were ranked first overall in their regional league according to NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Draft Rankings including Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting, Mikhail Grigorenko of the Quebec Remparts, and Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips. Murray, along with Tanner Pearson of the Barrie Colts, will compete in this event after representing Canada at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.

“It is a huge honour to be named to this event and to play alongside some of the best players in the 2012 NHL draft class,” said Murray. “I’ve had some great friends compete in this game including Ryan Nugent-Hopkins last season, and I am really looking forward to this opportunity.”

Both Russian-born top prospects were equally thrilled to be named to the Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. “I am very excited to play in the Top Prospects Game,” said Yakupov, last year’s CHL Rookie of the Year who has 49 points in 24 games this season. “I am looking forward to playing against and meeting the other top draft eligible players from the CHL.” Grigorenko, who leads all QMJHL rookies with 56 points in 35 games also commented; “I am honoured to play among the best NHL prospects and it will be a great challenge for me.”

2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Rosters:

Team Orr (White):



Goaltenders:

Malcolm Subban (Belleville Bulls)

Francois Tremblay (Val d’Or Foreurs)



Defencemen:

Gianluca Curcuruto (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Matthew Finn (Guelph Storm)

Olli Maatta (London Knights)

Adam Pelech (Erie Otters)

Derrick Pouliot (Portland Winterhawks)

Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton Oil Kings)



Forwards:

Andreas Athanasiou (London Knights)

Francis Beauvillier (Rimouski Oceanic)

Raphael Bussieres (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

Radek Faksa (Kitchener Rangers)

Mikhail Grigorenko (Quebec Remparts)

Tomas Hyka (Gatineau Olympiques)

Scott Kosmachuk (Guelph Storm)

Matia Marcantuoni (Kitchener Rangers)

Tanner Pearson (Barrie Colts)

Colton Sissons (Kelowna Rockets)

Chandler Stephenson (Regina Pats)

Lukas Sutter (Saskatoon Blades)



Team Cherry (Red):



Goaltenders:

Matthew Murray (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Brandon Whitney (Victoriaville Tigres)



Defencemen:

Cody Ceci (Ottawa 67’s)

Mathew Dumba (Red Deer Rebels)

Nick Ebert (Windsor Spitfires)

Slater Koekkoek (Peterborough Petes)

Ryan Murray (Everett Silvertips)

Damon Severson (Kelowna Rockets)



Forwards:

Martin Frk (Halifax Mooseheads)

Brendan Gaunce (Belleville Bulls)

Coda Gordon (Swift Current Broncos)

Charles Hudon (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)

Scott Laughton (Oshawa Generals)

Jarrod Maidens (Owen Sound Attack)

Andrew Ryan (Halifax Mooseheads)

Gemel Smith (Owen Sound Attack)

Dominik Volek (Regina Pats)

Thomas Wilson (Plymouth Whalers)

Nail Yakupov (Sarnia Sting)

Daniil Zharkov (Belleville Bulls)


Source: Canadian Hockey League