Alexander Radulov

Alexander Valerievich Radulov (born July 5, 1986 in Nizhny Tagil, Russia) is a Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Junior career
He started his North American career, in 2004–2005, being drafted at the 2004 CHL Import player draft by the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL from the CHL. That year, he finished third in scoring for his team, with 75 points in 65 games behind Josh Hennessy and Karl Gagné.

The following year, he became one of the most exciting and dominant players to play in the QMJHL. In the first half of the season, he and rookie Angelo Esposito formed one of the most explosive duos in the league. He became equally renowned for skating in front of the opposing team's bench and twirling his stick around and banging the handle on the ice, as if to put a sword into a sheath, after scoring a goal, something that angered opposing players but captivated and inspired his coach, Patrick Roy.

On October 28, 2005, he set a new franchise record with 6 goals against the Drummondville Voltigeurs. He added an assist in the win (11–3). That night, Radulov tied the Quebec Remparts team's record with Eric Chouinard for most points in a single game (7). Later, on March 19, 2006, in a game against the 2005 Memorial Cup second-place finishing Rimouski Océanic, for whom his teammates Cedrick Desjardins and Michal Sersen played for in 2004–05, Radulov wrote history in the Québec Colisée by scoring an amazing 7 goals and 4 assists for 11 points, breaking both records for most goals and points in a single game for the Quebec Remparts, in a 16–3 victory.

He owns the Quebec Remparts record for the most consecutive point streak games with 50, passing the 28 game mark established by Eric Chouinard in 1999–2000. He's ranked second all-time with that sequence in the QMJHL, only behind Mario Lemieux with 62.

Radulov finished as the scoring leader for the QMJHL and the CHL in 2005–2006 with 152 points (61G-91A). He currently owns the record for the most points in a single season for the Remparts, beating the mark of 120 set by Simon Gagné in 1998–1999. He also owns the record for the most goals and assists in a season as a Rempart. He passed the mark of 57 goals set by Eric Chouinard and the mark of 75 assists set by Wes Scanzano, both back in 1999–2000. He also tied with Pavel Rosa for the most points by a QMJHL European player in a single season. His 61 goals were second-highest in the QMJHL for the 2005/2006 season; Maxime Boisclair of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens was first with 70.

In the 2006 playoffs, Radulov tallied 55 points (21G-34A) and was ranked again as the scoring leader. He registered at least a point in each game. Radulov went only 2 points shy from playoff point record set by former Nashville Predator Simon Gamache in 2000–01. In the Remparts' semi-final series against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, he had 19 points in the seven-game series alone. He lost the MVP to victorious Moncton Wildcats forward Martins Karsums, a Boston Bruins prospect from Latvia.

All team records set by Radulov are for the new edition of the Remparts, which began in the 1997–1998 season.

Radulov delivered an incredible performance in the Remparts' 2006 Memorial Cup championship game victory over the Moncton Wildcats. In the 6–2 win, he netted 2 goals and assisted on 3 more, totaling 5 points; one point away from tying the all-time record in a Memorial Cup final. He registered 9 points (5G-4A) in 4 games and won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the tournament MVP.

On November 28, 2007, the Remparts retired Radulov's number 22 jersey.

Professional career
During Radulov's 2005–06 QMJHL season, he was signed to a 3-year NHL contract by the Predators on January 9, 2006. He would begin his professional career as a member of the Predator's farm team, the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League, the following season. He was selected player of the week on October 16, 2006, posting 2 goals and 4 assists in only 2 games.

On October 21, 2006, Radulov made his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators against the Vancouver Canucks, logging 7 minutes and one minor penalty. He scored his first career NHL goal on his first career shot against the San Jose Sharks on October 26. Following another reassignment to Milwaukee, Radulov remained on the Nashville roster for the rest of the 2006–07 season after he was recalled on November 21, 2006.

In Game 2 of the first round of the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Radulov was suspended for one game for his hit on San Jose Sharks forward Steve Bernier. Hitting him from behind, Bernier was sent into the boards head first and lay motionless on the ice for 3 minutes, before being helped off by teammates Joe Thornton and Marcel Goc. Bernier did not, however, suffer any serious injury.

On July 11, 2008, it was announced that although Radulov was still under contract with the Nashville Predators for one more season, he had signed a three-year deal with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League. Radulov had previously notified the Predators organization of his desire to play in Russia, stating that he was being offered better conditions. Immediately after the announcement, the Predators, NHL and IIHF all released statements emphasizing that Radulov's contract obligated him to the Predators through the 2008–09 season and that signing with a team in Russia was a direct violation of an agreement made the previous day between the NHL and all international hockey leagues to respect players' existing contracts. After the IIHF ordered that Ufa void Radulov's contract, Ilya Kochevrin, vice-president of the KHL, argued that Radulov was signed on July 5, before the agreement was made on July 10. While the contract remains disputed, the IIHF suspended Radulov from international play on July 18, as investigations continued; a suspension that was lifted soon enough as it appeared there was no legal ground to suspend Radulov.

After giving Radulov a September 1 deadline to notify his intentions to return to Nashville, the Predators suspended him, on September 2, without pay for the 2008–09 season.

Personal
He is the younger brother of Igor Radulov, a former player with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Player of the week

 * Week 2: 2006-10-09 to 2006-10-15

Player of the week

 * Week 1: November 1, 200
 * Week 21: March 21, 2006

Trophies

 * CHL Top Scorer Award - 2006
 * CHL Player of the Year - 2006
 * Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (Memorial Cup MVP) - 2006

Player of the week

 * Week 6: October 24 to October 30, 2005
 * Week 18: January 23 to January 29, 2006
 * Week 23: February 27 to March 5, 2006
 * Week 25: March 14 to March 19, 2006

Player of the month

 * February 2006
 * March 2006

Trophies

 * 2006: Jean Béliveau Trophy (league leading scorer)
 * 2006: Telus Trophy (offensive player)
 * 2006: Michel Brière Memorial Trophy (most valuable player)
 * 2006: QMJHL First All-Star Team
 * 2006: Coupe Postes Canada for QMJHL

International play
Played for Russia in:


 * 2005 World Junior Championships (silver medal)
 * 2006 World Junior Championships (silver medal)
 * 2007 World Championships (bronze medal)
 * 2008 World Championships (gold medal)
 * 2009 World Championships (gold medal)