Russian forward Alexander Radulov may return to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, coach Barry Trotz said Monday.
Radulov has a year to run on his contract with the Predators, where he has been suspended without pay since leaving for his native Russia in 2008.
With his team Salavat Yulaev Ufa out of the KHL playoffs, Radulov could return to the Predators and see out his contract before becoming a free agent in the summer and able to cash in on his status as KHL MVP in 2010 and 2011.
Trotz said that Radulov had planned to arrive in time for Sunday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, but would “probably” arrive Tuesday.
“His agent said he was planning to make his way to Nashville. It was the release that was holding him up. That's why he stayed the extra couple of days. He was planning to get on a plane on Friday,” Trotz said in comments on the NHL website.
A high-placed official in the Salavat Yulaev management told RIA Novosti that Radulov was still in Ufa on Monday, but that the situation would soon be resolved.
“At the moment, Alexander is in Ufa and training with the team. Possibly, the situation will become clearer in the coming days,” the official said, asking for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the move.
Radulov won the Gagarin Cup with Salavat Yulaev in 2011, and has scored 25 goals in 50 regular season games for the team this season, notching up 38 assists.
