Radulov Case Headed for Arbitration

The Kontinental Hockey League as agreed to binding arbitration with the NHL over the contract status of Alexander Radulov. The time and location of the arbitration hearing has not been decided, and that will likely be difficult to work out. The KHL agreed to arbitration only if the hearing can be performed in Russia, which the NHL deems unacceptable. The NHL wants a neutral location for the arbitration hearing to avoid any bias toward the KHL if the hearing is in Russia. In July, Radulov announced he was leaving the Nashville Predators to sign a three-year contract with Ufa of the KHL with one more season remaining on his current contract with the Predators. The NHL has argued that Radulov cannot play in the KHL because he is still under contract with the Predators. Radulov has since been suspended by the Predators indefinitely without pay and has also been suspended from international competition. The NHL recently announced that the final year of Radulov's contract can be upheld if and when he returns to the NHL. The likely driving force behind the defection is money. Radulov can make more money playing in the KHL next season than if he played the final year of his contract with Nashville. With the Predators facing bankruptcy in 2007, the team has been trying to keep player contracts low for now. Radulov needs to realize the Predators cannot afford to pay him the money he could get in Russia. If it were not for the current financial hardships of the team, Radulov would likely get a considerable raise from the Predators due to his offensive skills. Too many players in the NHL today care about signing expensive contracts and earning lots of money rather than winning championships and icing the perfect team. Unfortunately, Radulov is the latest player to be swept up in the greed for money. If Radulov continues to defy the Predators and the NHL, that will not likely sit well with the Predators' players and management, who may not want him back if decides to return to North America.