On Pavel Datsyuk and the Detroit Red Wings …
George Malik of Kukla’s Korner: Dmitry Spirin of Sovetsky notes that a site called “Sportfakt.ru” is reporting that Pavel Datsyuk will be signing a two-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL after the World Championships.
Other Russian news sources like Sport-Express, Championat, R-Sport haven’t confirmed the rumor. AllSport and SportsDaily.ru are saying that a source told them that Datsyuk will sign with SKA.
Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News: Datsyuk’s agent, Dan Milstein, said the report is false.
“It’s definitely not true,” Milstein said. “Pavel hasn’t spoken to anybody, hasn’t spoken to any team, and he hasn’t spoken any media other than talking about the (world championship) tournament.
“There’s nothing to it (the report).”
Datsyuk is expected to return to Detroit the second week June and will meet with Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland at some point there after.
“It’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said of Friday’s report out of Russia. “I plan on sitting down and meeting with Pavel when he returns from the world championship, sometime in early June.
“I would need to know his decision by the middle of June.”
If Datsyuk leaves for the KHL, the Red Wings will look to trade his $7.5 million cap hit, and would likely have to include a prospect or a first or second round pick. Holland may not be willing to include that.
On Alexander Radulov …
Igor Eronko: North American source saying that the Capitals are not in the mix for Alexander Radulov.
Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot: Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 960 on Alexander Radulov and who might be interested.
“I think Florida is in there. I think Detroit is in there. I told you that I heard Washington – they denied it. Everybody has always linked them with Colorado. I can tell you that somebody said to me — and he’s pretty trustworthy — has said it’s not Colorado. But the rumor has stayed there.
…
“There was a Russian reporter who reached out to me yesterday that they heard Washington was in on Radulov. I checked that and I was told he’s not going there.”