Getty ImagesAfter all the twists and turns, it looks like Alexander Radulov made his decision whether to return to the Nashville Predators this season.

Radulov's Russian agent Yuri Nikolaev, in a conversation with Sovetsky Sport's Pavel Lysenkov, confirmed that Alexander Radulov wants to play for Nashville this season.

But Radulov's KHL club Salavat Yulaev has not granted their permission -- yet.

"We are talking with Salavat's management. No one is delaying this matter. But what can you do if the contract runs through April 30? I am pleading to somehow resolve this problem. But I cannot find arguments yet." Nikolaev told Lysenkov.

It is clear that Radulov wants to leave and the club is indeed willing to let him go. So, what is the hold-up?

99988722We've heard of Moscow on the Hudson; how about on the East River?

Kontinental Hockey League President Alexander Medvedev said on Monday that Barclays Center, which will be the new home for the New Jersey Nets beginning in the 2012-13 season, will host KHL regular-season games and exhibitions, marking the first time the League has made an attempt to bring its product to North American ice.

This is what Medvedev said today about this, via SovSport:

"I had a good meeting with the head of the NHLPA, Gary Bettman and Bill Daly, discussed many important questions. I watched two games: New Jersey Devils vs. Anaheim Ducks and the New York Rangers vs. Chicago. We decided that when the basketball club [the New Jersey Nets, owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov] finishes building its arena in Brooklyn, KHL Legends Game and regular season games will be held there. We are continuing to improve the relationship between the KHL and the NHL. I am hoping that the situation with [Alex] Radulov

Getty'A soothsayer bids you beware the Ides of March'; or, in this case, a Russian player-agent is saying that come March 15, the NHL might have a new reason to beware the Nashville Predators.

Pavel Lysenkov of SovSport called Alex Radulov's Russian agent Yuri Nikolaev to speak about the end of his Salavat Yulaev Ufa season and possible return to the NHL with Nashville, with whom he has one more year on his contract.

"I don't want to comment about anything." Nikolaev told Lysenkov right after he picked up the phone.

Is Alexander going to Nashville?

"I won't say. I will only note that this issue must be resolved with Salavat Yulaev. Without a mutual agreement nothing is going to happen. This is because officially KHL contracts expire on April 30.

"Don't try to get anything out of me. Let's agree to this: I will have an understanding of the situation on March 15. We have to see what's going on with Radulov's knee... There are a lot of questions, including some about his health."

139616673On Saturday night during Hockey Night in Canada, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brain Burke said that winger Mikhail Grabovski will not be dealt at the NHL trade deadline.

Does that end the speculation about the unrestricted free agent? Perhaps. But it doesn't end the questions about whether Grabovski will be with the Leafs next season.

I spoke with Grabovski's agent, Gary Greenstin, about his client's future in Toronto.

Said Greenstin:

"These are his prime years in his hockey contract. Also this is a very important time for the Maple Leafs to make playoffs and Graba will do everything to help them.

"I don't make comments during negotiations and neither do my Clients. I could tell you that Mikhail wants to play for the Leafs for many years and win the Stanley Cup with them and I absolutely agree with him.

"I am positive that we will make a deal, but we have to be patient. We understand their position and I believe that they understand our position, we are more than fair. Of course it has to be

Getty ImagesEvgeni Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals' first round draft pick, is one of the hottest players in the KHL at the moment. He has 41 points in 48 games for Traktor and is one of the leaders in the KHL overall.

But on Friday, his season appeared to come to an end.

During the last minute of Friday's game between Traktor and Spartak, Kuznetsov was skating up the ice and was checked hard along the boards. Right after the check, he fell down and was in terrible pain, slamming his hands and his stick against the ice.

He couldn't get up, laying on his leg that was somewhat twisted, according to Sovetsky Sport's Pavel Lysenkov, who broke the story. The game was finally stopped and Kuznetsov was carried off the ice on a stretcher.

Details are scarce right now, but Lysenkov and other sources tell us Kuznetsov was taken to a local hospital right away for an MRI. It is suspected that he tore his MCL and/or ACL. We're in no way Dr. House, but the early word is that Kuznetsov is lost for the remainder

Getty ImagesKHL President Medvedev is also the head of Russian natural gas giant Gazprom. He was in New York to attend the annual meeting with American shareholders as well as conduct other Gazprom business. But he still found time to have a meeting with the heads of the NHL [please note how he calls Bettman "Gary" without using his last name]. Right after the lunch was over Medvedev spoke exclusively with me…

"Yes, we held a meeting today with Gary [Bettman] and Bill Daly. I would like to point out that the meeting had a very friendly feel to it. It was also very constructive which indicates that both Leagues understand each other's positions and views. It can only help the development of the game of hockey on both sides of the Atlantic. And even though we haven't accomplished a lot yet, nevertheless we already have a few regulatory documents that govern the respect of each other's contracts," he said.

"This is the second year that these regulations have been in place, and even though there are some things we don't agree on, none of them have grown into any sort of conflicts. The agreements we have in place have already helped up resolve a few situations concerning a number of players from the KHL who were able to sign contracts in the NHL, as well as a number of players from the NHL who signed contracts in the KHL having their contracts either terminated or amended in accordance with the rules in principles we have in place with the NHL."

Medvedev said there aren't any concrete agreements in place — yet. "But this level of cooperation gives us the opportunity to have high hopes that in the near future our partnership will be developed further in a number of different ways," he said.

We went into detail with Medvedev during a Q&A:

Q. Does this include having games between KHL and NHL teams?

MEDVEDEV: "Of course we couldn't avoid touching on this subject, and I am talking about regular season games as well as exhibition games which would not only be held in KHL countries, but in North America as well. But there is still a lot that needs to be done to achieve that, especially considering the fact that the new CBA negotiations between the NHL and the NHLPA would take away the League's attention from the KHL. It is difficult to work on any projects together until there is a new CBA in place."

"Nevertheless, the types of projects we are discussing, the range of ideas we are sharing — this cannot be seen as anything but a positive. It is our understanding that a lot will depend on the new CBA, which will give us more clarity as far as what we can and cannot do, but at the same time we both, the KHL and the NHL, share our ideas with each other at this time how to make the impossible possible. This dialogue will continue and we agreed that our consultations and conversations will intensify."

APHow much do the Russians really want NHL players to participate in the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014?

"A lot" would be an understatement.

This is now of the highest priority with the Russian Prime Minister (and the future President) of Russia Vladimir Putin, who called on the Russian Minister of Sport to organize a meeting with the NHL.

"I have asked Minister of Sport to hold consultations with our friends and colleagues from Canada. It also has a certain meaning because we have to ensure that our players, who play in the NHL, come to the 2014 Olympic Games, [and] to have the NHL calendar put together accordingly," Putin was quoted by Russian news agency RIAN.

Putin also proposed to combine business and pleasure and to ask North American "negotiators" to play a game to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series.

"We will come to an agreement with them," Putin said. "We can do it not only for the result but as a show of respect to what you [Putin was talking to hockey

Esquire

Jeremy Yablonski of Vityaz knows a thing or two about fighting. He's as "goon" as a goon can get in the KHL, including one fight in which he dropped elbows on Darcy Verot's head.

Earlier this season, he was suspended for the remainder of the KHL season after sucker punching Alexander Ryazantsev — the same Alexander Ryazantsev who "set" the new world record for the hardest shot in this weekend's KHL All Star Game. That sucker punch even prompted the KHL to consider what we dubbed the "Yablonski Rule."

KHL President Medvedev speaking in November:

"We are drafting a resolution under which players from Canada and USA will be allowed to play in the KHL only if they satisfy the League's criteria (excluding those who come over after being drafted). There will be certain entry criterion implemented, which, in essence, will have only one consideration — the number of games in the NHL. The exact number is being discussed right now, but the range considered is 80 to 120 games. This number of games should be enough to talk about [player's] qualification. Europeans will not be affected by this."

Following the suspension Vityaz decided to appoint Yablonski the team fitness coach. And when he wasn't working on conditioning of his teammates, Yablonski was involved in some other fights. Pillow fights for ESQUIRE magazine (see above).

But recently Yablonski decided to follow Matt Cooke's steps and repent.