Radulov joins Canadiens as free agency opens

As NHL teams unleashed a flurry of signings on the first day of free-agency, the Montreal Canadiens signed Russian forward Alexander Radulov to a one-year contract.

In 53 games with CSKA Moscow in the KHL last season, Radulov registered 23 goals and 42 assists for 65 points.

The 29-year-old attacker had been no stranger to the scoreboard with the Preds, netting 47 goals and providing 55 assists in 154 National Hockey League games.

The move came two days after a shock trade that sent the popular P.K. Subban to Nashville for veteran Shea Weber in a swap of elite, right-shooting defencemen.

The other players acquired today include, backup goaltender Al Montoya with a one-year contract, winger Daniel Carr and defenseman Zach Redmond to two-year contracts.

Lucic scored 20 goals last season for the Los Angeles Kings, just the fourth time in nine National Hockey League seasons he has hit the 20-goal mark.

Of course, much has changed in Radulov’s life since that busted curfew in Arizona four years ago, most importantly his becoming a father, but he knows he has work to do to convince people – his teammates, his coach and the fans – that he is different.

“Yes, I did it. But time goes by and you look back at what you should or should not have done”. The 18-year-old Nizhnekamsk, Russia, native was the Windsor Spitfires’ third-leading point-getter in 2015-16, amassing 17 goals and 57 points in 67 regular season games in his first year in North America. Fishing the KHL for talent worked past year with the Chicago Blackhawks and Artemi Panarin, but he was a young player with lots of upside. The team also signed first round draft choice Mikhail Sergachev to a three-year entry level contract. Given how things went last season when Price went down with an injury, it’s not surprising to see the Habs bring a more experienced back up/insurance policy. Sometimes players flat out told me “I will not play in Montreal” and that was the end.