Montreal Canadiens Trade Rumors: Alexander Radulov Wants to Stay in Montreal
Many hockey players would gladly sell their services to the highest bidder when they become free agents, but some just don't like to face the uncertainty once they hit the open market and they would rather stay where they were.
Well, right wing Alexander Radulov seems to belong to the second group because he prefers to stay in Montreal. Radulov will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but he said he doesn't really need to test the free agent market if the Canadiens offer him a fair deal.
"I don't think you have to wait for first of July. You can just take that offer because if it's everything good, why would you go and look for something better? There's no point," Radulov said earlier this week, according to Yahoo Sports.
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During the interview, Radulov also talked about his relationship with Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin and he thanked him for giving him another chance to play in the NHL.
"We understand each other. I'm really thankful [to] Marc [for bringing] me here and [giving] me that opportunity to be back in the NHL and play in the best league. I like Montreal. I like it a lot. ... We have to take it step by step," Radulov said, via Yahoo Sports.
Radulov didn't have much time to discuss a deal with Bergevin during his exit meeting, but he clearly wants to sign a long-term contract with the team. He has already denied that he asked for an eight-year deal, so that should clear the air.
Radulov's first season back in the National Hockey League (NHL) has been a success even though the Canadiens were knocked out of the playoffs by the New York Rangers. He had 18 goals and 54 points in 76 games during the regular season and he managed to turn it up a notch in the postseason.
