Alexander Radulov Alexander Valerievich Radulov ( born July 5 , 1986 in Nizhny Tagil , Russia ) is a Russia n professional ice hockey player currently playing for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League ( KHL ) . Playing career . Junior career . He started his North American career , in 2004 – 2005 , being drafted at the 2004 CHL Import player draft by the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL from the CHL . That year , he finished third in scoring for his team , with 75 points in 65 games behind Josh Hennessy and Karl Gagné . The following year , he became one of the most exciting and dominant players to play in the QMJHL . In the first half of the season , he and rookie Angelo Esposito formed one of the most explosive duos in the league . He became equally renowned for skating in front of the opposing team ' s bench and twirling his stick around and banging the handle on the ice , as if to put a sword into a sheath , after scoring a goal , something that angered opposing players but captivated and inspired his coach , Patrick Roy . On October 28 , 2005 , he set a new franchise record with 6 goals against the Drummondville Voltigeurs . He added an assist in the win ( 11 – 3 ) . That night , Radulov tied the Quebec Remparts team ' s record with Eric Chouinard for most points in a single game ( 7 ) . Later , on March 19 , 2006 , in a game against the 2005 Memorial Cup second - place finishing Rimouski Océanic , for whom his teammates Cedrick Desjardins and Michal Sersen played for in 2004 – 05 , Radulov wrote history in the Québec Colisée by scoring an amazing 7 goals and 4 assists for 11 points , breaking both records for most goals and points in a single game for the Quebec Remparts , in a 16 – 3 victory . He owns the Quebec Remparts record for the most consecutive point streak games with 50 , passing the 28 game mark established by Eric Chouinard in 1999 – 2000 . He ' s ranked second all - time with that sequence in the QMJHL , only behind Mario Lemieux with 62 . Radulov finished as the scoring leader for the QMJHL and the CHL in 2005 – 2006 with 152 points ( 61G - 91A ) . He currently owns the record for the most points in a single season for the Remparts , beating the mark of 120 set by Simon Gagné in 1998 – 1999 . He also owns the record for the most goals and assists in a season as a Rempart . He passed the mark of 57 goals set by Eric Chouinard and the mark of 75 assists set by Wes Scanzano , both back in 1999 – 2000 . He also tied with Pavel Rosa for the most points by a QMJHL European player in a single season . His 61 goals were second - highest in the QMJHL for the 2005 / 2006 season ; Maxime Boisclair of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens was first with 70 . In the 2006 playoffs , Radulov tallied 55 points ( 21G - 34A ) and was ranked again as the scoring leader . He registered at least a point in each game . Radulov went only 2 points shy from playoff point record set by former Nashville Predator Simon Gamache in 2000 – 01 . In the Remparts ' semi - final series against the Acadie - Bathurst Titan , he had 19 points in the seven - game series alone . He lost the MVP to victorious Moncton Wildcats forward Martins Karsums , a Boston Bruins prospect from Latvia . All team records set by Radulov are for the new edition of the Remparts , which began in the 1997 – 1998 season . Radulov delivered an incredible performance in the Remparts ' 2006 Memorial Cup championship game victory over the Moncton Wildcats . In the 6 – 2 win , he netted 2 goals and assisted on 3 more , totaling 5 points ; one point away from tying the all - time record in a Memorial Cup final . He registered 9 points ( 5G - 4A ) in 4 games and won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the tournament MVP . On November 28 , 2007 , the Remparts retired Radulov ' s number 22 jersey . Professional career . During Radulov ' s 2005 – 06 QMJHL season , he was signed to a 3 - year NHL contract by the Predators on January 9 , 2006 . He would begin his professional career as a member of the Predator ' s farm team , the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League , the following season . He was selected player of the week on October 16 , 2006 , posting 2 goals and 4 assists in only 2 games . On October 21 , 2006 , Radulov made his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators against the Vancouver Canucks , logging 7 minutes and one minor penalty . He scored his first career NHL goal on his first career shot against the San Jose Sharks on October 26 . Following another reassignment to Milwaukee , Radulov remained on the Nashville roster for the rest of the 2006 – 07 season after he was recalled on November 21 , 2006 . In Game 2 of the first round of the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs , Radulov was suspended for one game for his hit on San Jose Sharks forward Steve Bernier . Hitting him from behind , Bernier was sent into the boards head first and lay motionless on the ice for 3 minutes , before being helped off by teammates Joe Thornton and Marcel Goc . Bernier did not , however , suffer any serious injury . On July 11 , 2008 , it was announced that although Radulov was still under contract with the Nashville Predators for one more season , he had signed a three - year deal with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League . Radulov had previously notified the Predators organization of his desire to play in Russia , stating that he was being offered better conditions . Immediately after the announcement , the Predators , NHL and IIHF all released statements emphasizing that Radulov ' s contract obligated him to the Predators through the 2008 – 09 season and that signing with a team in Russia was a direct violation of an agreement made the previous day between the NHL and all international hockey leagues to respect players ' existing contracts . After the IIHF ordered that Ufa void Radulov ' s contract , Ilya Kochevrin , vice - president of the KHL , argued that Radulov was signed on July 5 , before the agreement was made on July 10 . While the contract remains disputed , the IIHF suspended Radulov from international play on July 18 , as investigations continued ; a suspension that was lifted soon enough as it appeared there was no legal ground to suspend Radulov . After giving Radulov a September 1 deadline to notify his intentions to return to Nashville , the Predators suspended him , on September 2 , without pay for the 2008 – 09 season . Personal . He is the younger brother of Igor Radulov , a former player with the Chicago Blackhawks . International play . Played for Russia in :