Radulov - Yay or Nay?

[Coach]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Hell yes the Flames should explore it. People are taking this way too personally and quite frankly the Flames shouldn't be making an emotional one, they should be making a business decision. A good asset, contributor and skilled winner is what the Flames need, especially now that Raymond, Hudler, and Jones have left the roster.

Not to mention this is a free asset

It's not just a pure business transaction. Like it or not, hockey, and sports in general, are emotional in nature. Sure, all the transactions and cap management are business decisions, but at the end of the day you are relying on 25+ people to work together to win as many hockey games as possible, see each other every day, work with each other, basically live with each other, for an entire season of hockey. Emotion abosultely plays a part. If you bring in someone that everyone loves, it can completely change your team, regardless of what their skill set is. If you bring in everyone absolutely hates, you bet your butt that has an impact on the team.

As much as everyone wants them to be robots, theyre not. Swapping people in and out with identical skill sets does not make the results equal. Radulov could come in and get as many points as '15 Hudler, but still be a negative impact on the team comparatively.

If anyone tells me that trying to work with a nightmare collegue doesn't affect their own work performance they are just plain lying.

Not saying Radulov is these things anymore, and if the Flames were to pick him up he would have my support until he proves otherwise, but don't tell me these things shouldn't be emotional. They absolutely are. There's a reason the Flames management targets a certain personality of player.

[Mightyfire89]

Originally Posted by T@T

Are you people on glue? Burke would personally tape Radulov stick and sharpen his skates by hand if he would sign here.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by MattyC

It's not just a pure business transaction. Like it or not, hockey, and sports in general, are emotional in nature. Sure, all the transactions and cap management are business decisions, but at the end of the day you are relying on 25+ people to work together to win as many hockey games as possible, see each other every day, work with each other, basically live with each other, for an entire season of hockey. Emotion abosultely plays a part. If you bring in someone that everyone loves, it can completely change your team, regardless of what their skill set is. If you bring in everyone absolutely hates, you bet your butt that has an impact on the team.

As much as everyone wants them to be robots, theyre not. Swapping people in and out with identical skill sets does not make the results equal. Radulov could come in and get as many points as '15 Hudler, but still be a negative impact on the team comparatively.

If anyone tells me that trying to work with a nightmare collegue doesn't affect their own work performance they are just plain lying.

Not saying Radulov is these things anymore, and if the Flames were to pick him up he would have my support until he proves otherwise, but don't tell me these things shouldn't be emotional. They absolutely are. There's a reason the Flames management targets a certain personality of player.

There hasn't been a formula for establishing perfectly cooperative groups of people since the start of written history, so why claim you have the answer (or claim that Radulov is not capable of accomplishing the answer).

[Coach]

If you made it to my last paragraph I specifically mention my thoughts on Radulov, and they are not what you said. I never claimed I had any sort of answer, just that emotions certainly play a part in how a team adds help. If people closer than me end up thinking that Radulov is not a good addition because of his baggage, then I'm OK with that.

[jlh2640]

Nay !

[EVERLAST]

no more experiments please

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

no more experiments please

Somebody tell Pribyl and Nakladal to pack their bags and go home.

[Lanny_McDonald]

The Flames supposedly value character the most in their players. Radulov has none of the required character to be a Calgary Flame. That would be a big steaming no to Radulov.

[Vulcan]

IIRC the Flames had some questions about signing Bertuzzi and Iginla was consulted to see how the team would take it. Iginla gave his okay and he was signed. A good signing too in my opinion. Maybe if the brass consulted Giordano it would give a better reading on the situation.

[Rick M.]

The desire of some of these older Russian players to return to the NHL speaks more to the financial struggles of the KHL than to a change in attitude on their part.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

The desire of some of these older Russian players to return to the NHL speaks more to the financial struggles of the KHL than to a change in attitude on their part.

With Radulov though, he came to North America as a kid and his original desire was to play in the NHL.

Somewhere along the way, his career path changed direction, but I would not be surprised if his end game was always to make a career in North America.

I don't like the way he left, but coming back may not be just financial. Or it may be... who knows other than Radulov.