Getty ImagesSergei Fedorov at 42 was still going strong playing in the KHL with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. After the season was over, I noted that it may indeed have been Fedorov's last playing professional hockey. A few weeks ago Fedorov said, "My body definitely doesn't want to play hockey I can definitely say. But my mind constantly thinks about hockey and the will to play on the subconscious level again tries to convince my body to play."

Whispers that Fedorov may move into a hockey management role in Russia started surfacing recently. A few years ago, when Fedorov was still with the Capitals, he told me that he never contemplated becoming a manager. However, it appears that he will become the next general manager of the storied CSKA Red Army club, the team he defected from in 1990 when the team was participating in the Goodwill Games in Seattle.

"Sergei came to the club office where the day before [on Friday] he met with the general director of the club, Alexei Khudyakov, and both were satisfied [with the meeting]," a source inside the club told R-Sport news agency.

"It's a great possibility that CSKA's first home game of the new season will be Sergei's farewell. It will be sort of a farewell celebration and he will concentrate on the management work at the club."

CSKA has not confirmed the news officially. Fedorov, a certain future Hall of Famer, himself is yet to officially announce his retirement from hockey.

Getty ImagesEvgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins saw what happened with countryman Alex Radulov and the Nashville Predators this postseason, when he was kept out for two games following a curfew violation.

Would this have happened on another team?

"It all depends on the team. But it is very difficult for me to discuss it because I have not spoken with Radulov and I don't know what is true and what is not. Maybe he was late, maybe he was a bit tipsy. Who knows? It's difficult for me to say anything on the subject," said Malkin to Pavel Lysenkov of SovSport in a recent interview.

"And if this was the case then he was wrong because this was during playoffs and he shouldn't have done that. But at the same time [the media] blows everything out of proportions especially if you cannot find your game and then you're late everything is then intensified in America. If a player is playing well and scoring goals no one cares where he goes and when, people will carry him around with their hands regardless. But if you're not playing late and break team rules then it becomes like a snowball."

Malkin is currently playing with Russia in the IIHF world championships. Here is the rest of Malkin's interview with Pavel Lysenkov, which spans from playoff MVP to Lionel Messi to a beer called "Giroux's Tears." Enjoy.

Q. Dan Bylsma doesn't wait for you in the hotel lobby with a stopwatch during the playoffs, does he?

MALKIN: "No. Look, everyone is a professional. Yes, sometimes it happens when you're late coming back from dinner. But it is not a big deal. Of course if someone is late and accidentally bumps into [Byslma] downstairs he can have a talk. But I have been playing in America for six years now and I have never witnessed anything like that. It doesn't happen with our team. And it happened to Radulov for the first time. I think everyone was on to him primarily due to his play, because he wasn't playing the kind of hockey people were expecting from him."

Who is the hockey equivalent of Lionel Messi?

"For me it is Crosby and Datsyuk. I only see Datsyuk as an opponent. But I can say a lot about Crosby because we are together at practices, I see him in the locker room, I see how he works very hard, how he is dedicated to hockey. And all of his victories, all of his awards came to him through the sweat and very hard work. He is very talented, but the way he works on himself — I don't think I have seen anyone who lives hockey like he does."

Name the oddest thing you were asked to sign your autograph on?

"It has to be a woman's chest. Not a naked chest, but on a T-shirt that was covering it. It happened after the charity game we held last summer. One girl came up to me and asked for an autograph. Of course I was surprised a little bit."

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Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov had an eventful first season with the Philadelphia Flyers. He recently spoke with Natalia Bragilevskaya, SovSport's reporter in Philadelphia, about losing to the New Jersey Devils and that David Clarkson goal; how difficult the critics have been to deal with this season; and whether he ever regretted signing with the Flyers.

To say the least, Bryzgalov had some candid thoughts about the pressure of being a Flyer. For example:

"We have an excellent team. All the guys are good, the management is great. But there is a lot of negativity surrounding the team. You did everything you could on the ice. You go to the locker room and someone yells some nonsense at your back. They're ready to eat you alive. It's unpleasant, because we are all people. You should understand that I am not speaking out against the fans. Philadelphia has great fans, they are the majority. They are always with the team in difficult times. Even after a mistake they say words of support. But who didn't make mistakes in this world?"

The original Russian story is here. Enjoy this translation:

Q. You're in a bad mood, Ilya?

BRYZGALOV: "Of course. I was expecting different. But New Jersey played better."

It appeared that after the series against Pittsburgh you're not afraid of anything.

"These are two absolutely different teams. The Penguins, just like us, rely a lot on their offense. They play the Brazilian system: 'You score as many as you can. We [score] as many as we want. We got an open hockey.' And New Jersey is similar to other clubs left in the playoffs. Their defense is good. They don't let you create a lot of chances in their zone. I was very surprised by what the Devils showed. They outplayed us in every component."

What can you say about yourself? You made a few mistakes.

"For example?"

The Clarkson goal that turned out to be the deciding one in the series.

"Yes, I made a mistake. But when a player makes a pass and the opponent intercepts it, no one says anything, right?  I understand that I am being criticized by everyone but the lazy. But I am trying not to think about it."

Getty ImagesIt is fair to say that a lot of Washington Capitals' fans were waiting for May 1 to find out if the highly touted prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington's 26th overall draft pick in the 2010 draft, will come over to the NHL.

Today is the day he became a restricted free agent in the KHL.

Kuznetsov first announced he was staying in Russia a few weeks ago. His agent later took that back, and Kuznetsov himself said his answer was so that "people would just get off [my] back." The amount of flip-flopping was enough to make any politician proud. [thanks, JP!].

Kuznetsov joined Team Russia preparing for the World Championships, skating on the same line as Evgeny Malkin. But it wasn't his chemistry with the Penguins star that the media wanted to know about.

Will he stay or will he go? Kuznetsov spoke with SovSport's Pavel Lysenkov:

"The contract hasn't been signed yet.  But the decision to stay for two more years I have already made. To stay in Russia, in Chelyabinsk. The new contract hasn't been signed yet."

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski gave an interview to Goals.by (Belorussian sports outlet) from national team training camp, in which he discussed the Leafs' collapse in the second half of the season and the competition for his services before signing a five-year, $27.5 million extension with the Leafs.

Here's Grabo:

What do you think is the reason for Toronto's letdowns?

GRABOVSKI: "Everyone is guilty a little bit. We slumped physically and psychologically in February — we completely failed that month. Now we have to get ready for the next season."

How would you evaluate this season for you personally?

"As a zero. That's what it was in the plus/minus column. The main thing is that it wasn't in the minus. At the end of the season I moved up. And overall I played at my level, although I got less points. But this is due to less playing time."

Your linemate Nikolai Kulemin had an obviously disappointing season.

"Probably so, yes. But at the same time he finished the

Getty ImagesKevin Dallman is one of KHL's best defensemen. He joined Barys Astana in Kazakhstan in 2008 and in his very first season set the scoring record among defensemen in Russia/USSR dating back to the times of Slava Fetisov, scoring 58 (28+30) points in 53 games. Dallman is also a four time KHL All Star.

Dallman was so popular in Kazakhstan that in 2010 it was reported he was offered Kazakh citizenship to be able to play for the country at World Championships, Olympics and the like. Dallman said he wouldn't do it because he didn't want to lose his Canadian citizenship.

It appears the "love story" is ending for Dallman and Barys. Dallman reportedly had his contract terminated and kicked out of the country.

Why is this at all interesting?

Because Dallman had his contract terminated at the same time a blog post by his wife, criticizing widespread corruption in Kazakhstan, went viral.

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Whenever we have a chance to speak with Pavel Datsyuk, the star center of the Detroit Red Wings, it's an honor. Not only because he's one of our favorite players to watch, but because he's one of the NHL's most thoughtful players, who dodges clichés like he's dangling around defensemen.

I spoke to Datsyuk last week about the upcoming playoffs, NHL rules changes, Alex Ovechkin and Alex Radulov, and other League topics. But as you'll read, our conversations went in many other interesting places, including:

• His early hockey years, including wearing figure skates and a locker room fight.

• The people with whom he'd most like to have dinner.

• The evils of hockey camps.

• His favorite sport other than hockey.

Enjoy.

Q. Which actor would play Pavel Datsyuk in a movie?

DATSYUK: I honestly don't see an actor who could do that, an actor who is so goofy and pale. It'd be tough to be that goofy.

Getty ImagesAs we told you earlier today, Alex Radulov will join the Nashville Predators for their playoff push after the rest of his contract year in the KHL was bought out.

In an exclusive interview with Pavel Lysenkov of SovSport, KHL President Alexander Medvedev said Radulov leaves for the NHL without protest from the League or his team, Ufa Salavat Yulaev.

"Alexander Radulov met with the League representatives and I met with his agent. I will tell you right now so that there is no reason for speculation and rumors: This season Alexander is leaving in full compliance with the KHL Regulations," said Medvedev.

"Radulov's departure turned out to be civilized. It's not a coincidence on Monday Alexander and his agent flew to Ufa. And the fact that he will play in the NHL…  We will hope that Nashville, even stronger with the Kostitsyn brothers and Radulov, won't last long in the Stanley Cup, and Alexander gets free in time for the Russian National team."

This is a unique situation for the KHL. Radulov had the rest of this season bought out; Ufa retains his rights for the last year of his KHL contract in 2012-13, when he'll also be a restricted free agent in the NHL.

Medvedev had some interesting speculation and information about Radulov's future; like the fact he expects the Nashville Predators winger back in the KHL this fall, rather than with the Predators on a new contract.