Radulov has spoken

From vremya.ru, Sept. 17, 2008

When General Manager of Salavat Yulaev Oleg Gross learned about [Paul Kelly's statement], he was very much surprised.

"You know I don't even want to talk about this subject", said Gross. "All the time they try to invent some rumors, they constantly send us letters which we are tired to read, all the time they are threatening us with disqualifications. I spoke with Alexander recently. He said that he'll never go back to the NHL. Where such rumors are coming from? It is incomprehensible."

Radulov doesn't want to talk on this subject, but when he learned what was it about, he too, was greatly surprised. "I am satisfied with everything in Russia. If someone believes that we have a weak league here, let them come and try to play here. I am not going anywhere in the next three years. And after that I will look for a team in my native country rather than in America".

Update: Found this link on HFBoards, the interview with Radulov on Sports.ru. Here's the excerpt where he explains one more time why he left. What is interesting there, a reaction of Nashville:

Q: Having signed a contract with Salavatom Yulaev you have already explained many times in the press the reasons for your decision, said the right words about changing the leagues and desire to play in Russia, but still we'd like to know the truth. You had the last year of the contract mandatory for rookies in Nashville. You could sign a decent contract next summer corresponding to your status as a rising star. I don't understand your logic.

Radulov: There is no secret truth. I am not an advocate of creating scandals and I didn't want one. When I received the offer from Ufa I went to the management of Nashville and honestly told that there was such interest in me in Ufa and that they were counting on me.

They replied to me that it was my business to decide.

I chose Salavat Yulaev and then suddenly I am in the center of the scandal and received the threats of disqualification. I try to not think about it anymore.

My logic was simple. I have never played in the Russian Superleague, well, one game for Dynamo does not count. I missed home. Is this too little?

Of course hockey in the NHL so far is better than in KHL, but do you see how many guys have already returned home from abroad? How many foreigners are arriving? If it'll go like that, the hockey in Russia will rise its level very, very noticeably.

Did Nashville think he was bluffing?