Rangers Seeking Offense, Check in on Preds Mercurial Winger Radulov

The New York Rangers are wasting no time in seeking to upgrade an offense that struggled mightily during the playoffs and now will be without sniper Marian Gaborik to start next season.

Numerous outlets including TSN are reporting that GM Glen Sather has reached out to the Nashville Predators to inquire about restricted free agent to be Alexander Radulov.

The winger already has offers on the table from a Russian club with the KHL, but it seems his preference is to remain in the NHL.

Radulov, 25, has long been known as a tremendous talent, but controversy has followed every step of his NHL career. 

He was drafted 15th overall in the 2004 entry draft, and joined the Predators for the 2006-07 season posting 18 goals and 19 assists in 64 games. His best NHL season came the next year when he netted 26 goals and 32 assists. 

But that's where the controversy begins. Despite owing one more year on his current contract to the Predators, Radulov elected to play the following season in the Russian KHL. The move led to a series of lawsuits and the winger's suspension from the team for a season.

After spending four years in Russia the controversial winger returned to the NHL this year and was activated by the Preds for the final nine games of the regular season and the playoffs.

It was during the playoffs that Radulov again found himself in trouble as he and fellow Russian winger Andrei Kostitsyn were each suspended for two crucial games for missing team curfew.

The question with Radulov has never been his talent. It's always been his mental makeup and commitment to the game. Those are two qualities that Rangers coach John Tortorella has shown little tolerance for in the past, making the Rangers interest in Radulov all the more intriguing.