The current offseason in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is replete with the number of transfers and transactions – both obvious and logical, and unexpected. Among the latter, the main one in the ranking will definitely be the transfer of Alexander Radulov to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. The railroad workers detonated a real bomb today at noon local time. The contract with the famous and experienced striker was signed for a period of one year.
The future of Alexander Radulov has been the subject of some of the most lively and active discussions in the past few months. The day before, Kazan Ak Bars announced the departure of a top forward from the club. But their separation was known much earlier – the Kazan team had entered the stage of team rejuvenation, and Radulov was clearly not included in the plans of the new coaching staff led by Anvar Gatiyatulin.
The media eagerly discussed that Alexander expected to return to Moscow and was negotiating with the capital’s clubs. Among them, Dynamo mainly stood out: the option with CSKA was a priori impossible, Spartak, for a number of reasons, was not ready to get involved in such an adventure, and the Blue and Whites allegedly really considered the candidacy of a star striker, but simply did not agree on money. Also, according to rumors, Radulov was in great demand in the Eastern Conference, but without much specifics.
One thing was absolutely certain – Radulov was not going to say goodbye to his career. This scenario was not part of his plans at all.
Alexander's transition to Lokomotiv was truly unexpected. There were exactly zero rumors or any inside information about the upcoming transfer, as well as reports about the interest of both parties in each other. In this regard, it is necessary to praise both the hockey player’s agency, which until recently did not disseminate information about the future of its client, and the “railroad workers” themselves – from the club’s management to its press service. They all worked competently to create a wow effect and achieved what they wanted.
Another question – what is globally behind Radulov’s move to Yaroslavl?
It is quite obvious that after the unexpected departure of Sergei Andronov from the club, the “railroad workers” needed an experienced and bright hockey player capable of leading the team’s locker room to successfully complete their championship mission. Yes, Alexey Bereglazov could well take on this role, but certain doubts remain about his skills in choosing the right words for his teammates.
A plus for both sides will be the fact that Radulov has known Igor Nikitin for a long time. Under the leadership of the current head coach of Lokomotiv, the forward already worked at CSKA, where Igor Valerievich held the position of assistant and was just approaching the title of one of the best coaches in the KHL. Nikitin himself has repeatedly noted the importance of maintaining a high level of psychology in his players, and, probably, its lack played a special role in Loko’s failure in the last Gagarin Cup final. No matter who, Radulov will definitely not let the buns relax. With Alexander, hockey Yaroslavl should become more fun and interesting.
At the same time, the striker’s physical fitness may be called into question. Lokomotiv hockey under the leadership of Nikitin takes a lot of effort and requires constant pressure along the entire perimeter of the ice rink. Whether Radulov, who will turn 38 in a month, can cope with this is a debatable question. However, last season Alexander was Ak Bars' best forward in terms of playing time and third among all players on the team. Therefore, his age in this case may be just dust in the eyes.
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