Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators are set to face elimination tonight in Phoenix.

It's the first time the Preds have been up against the wall since May 9th, 2011, a Game 6 loss to the Vancouver Canucks that eliminated Nashville in the second round.

Now, 364 days later, the Phoenix Coyotes could re-enact Vancouver's role from a year ago by knocking out the once-cup favorite Predators in just the conference semifinals.

After defeating the Detroit Red Wings in only five games to advance past the first round, spirits were sky-high in Smashville as their team gathered recognition as a real dark horse in the Stanley Cup race.

Backed by a balanced and consistent offense—something missing from Predators squads of years past—and one of the league's most reliable goaltenders in Pekka Rinne, it seemed as if Nashville was without weakness in its quest for a surprising NHL championship.

But the upstart 'Yotes have since squashed almost all of that enthusiasm.

The Preds' top-ranked power play—in addition to most of the rest of their offense—has been stymied by Phoenix's impressive penalty kill. The Coyotes' top-heavy offense has found a way to penetrate Rinne with ease. Jobing.com Arena has out-dueled Bridgestone Arena in a battle of home-ice advantage.

Being eliminated in tonight's game (8 p.m. CT, NBC Sports Net) won't just conclude a once-promising Nashville campaign a little too early, though.

It could also ruin the Preds' opportunity to field a title-contending team for years to come.

After all, Nashville and GM David Poile will have one of the NHL's busiest schedules this offseason, with 16 pending restricted or unrestricted free agents, including franchise cornerstones Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.

And if the Preds fail to make a deep run this May, they stand a chance of losing quite a few of them.

Suter, 27, and Weber, 26—a blueline pairing that some call the most well-rounded in the NHL today—have both stated that their future in Nashville depends more on winning than on money.

Per Kevin Allen of the USA Today:

History has shown that contract negotiations are always all about the money, regardless of what the parties say. But in the case of the Nashville Predators vs. Ryan Suter, it truthfully isn't about the money.

The Predators are willing to pay Suter market value, and he knows that...[but] the reason Suter hasn't already re-upped with the Predators is that he wants to be sure that the team is in position to compete for the Stanley Cup this season and for years to come.

In similar fashion, Suter, the seventh overall pick of the 2003 draft, also told CSNPhilly.com (h/t Sporting News) that "[Poile and I have] never had a timeline or deadline [on a new contract]. We’re just focusing on winning. Everything else will take care of itself."

For Suter, it's all about the cup, no matter if he wins it in Nashville or elsewhere.

And Weber's mindset is hardly different.

The star rearguard and Preds captain went to arbitration last summer when he and Nashville's front office failed to come to an agreement in negotiations.

Although the one-year, $7.5 million contract he was awarded makes him only an RFA again this offseason, Weber has expressed obvious interest in escaping Tennesee's capital as soon as possible.

The Examiner's Jim Diamond wrote after Weber's insult-laden arbitration hearing that "whether...sooner or later, Weber will probably be saying sayonara to Smashville in less than two years."

In addition to Suter and Weber's individual ambitions, a plethora of questions exist over whether the Predators can really afford to re-sign both of them this offseason—with Stanley Cup rings or not.

Nashville owner Tom Cigarran generally won't let the Preds payroll reach salary-cap levels, and even if he does this time around, Poile will only have about $32.1 million in space, according to CapGeek.com, to re-sign up to 16 different players.

Excluding Suter and Weber, high-profile names like deadline acquisition Hal Gill, reunited brothers Sergei and Andrei Kostitsyn, hyped Russian addition Alexander Radulov and rookie standout Colin Wilson will all need new contracts come July and could each warrant upwards of $2 or $2.5 million.

Depth items and up-and-coming youngsters such as Jordin Tootoo, Paul Guastad, Francis Bouillon, Anders Lindback, Jonathan Blum, Jack Hillen, Brandon Yip, Jack MacLellan and Brian McGrattan all have expiring contracts, as well.

Moreover, Pekka Rinne's cap hit will jump from $3.4 million this past season to $7.0 million for each of the next four years, and AHL youngsters Austin Watson and Mattias Ekholm, among others, could soon jump onto the NHL payroll, too.

With that type of secondary agenda to handle, it would be shocking if Poile was able to find the cash to deal out mega-contracts to both Suter and Weber.

On the open market, Suter could probably earn a contract in the range of four years at $7 million each, and it's possible that Weber could even top that. Spend $15 million—or more—on a mere two players? It's hard not to wonder if the Preds' bank account could really support that much extra baggage. 

So undoubtedly, Poile and the rest of the Predators organization will have some tough choices to make this summer. They simply will not be able to keep everyone.

But losing tonight's Game 5 to the Phoenix Coyotes—and being thus removed from the 2012 NHL postseason—would throw another wrench in the process. Consistent playoff team or not, the Preds' elite stars are simply tired of falling short of the Stanley Cup year after year after year in Smashville.

For the Nashville Predators, elimination tonight would have much more far-reaching effects than what originally meets the eye.

Mark Jones is a Bleacher Report featured columnist for the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL. In three and a half years with the site, he has written more than 370 articles and received over 480,000 total reads.

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After the Nashville Predators won Game 3 against the Phoenix Coyotes without Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn, it was decided that they would be kept out for Game 4 as well.  

With a 1-0 loss in Game 4 to put the Predators down three games to one, the Predators now find themselves in a tough situation. Disagree or not with the decision to sit the two forwards in Game 3, it was a matter of values and integrity. Game 4, on the other hand was a message that Radulov and Kostitsyn were not wanted nor needed.  

Of course, the offensively challenged loss on Friday was proof that their two top point scorers are in fact needed.  

In a recent article on NHL.com, Predators' Head Coach Barry Trotz had the following to say on the situation: 

I think there's a high probability that they'll both go in. I think they're motivated. There's some guys, as I said, that didn't bring their best games and therefore I think there would be a couple of changes."

On the one hand, if the two were to remain out of the lineup, David Poile would be discrediting himself, as it was his decision to trade for Kostitsyn and allow Radulov to return in the first place. In addition, if the Preds lost the game and the series, he would face scrutiny for keeping the two most offensive players off the roster when they were clearly needed.  

On the other hand, the insertion of Kostitsyn and Radulov back into the lineup could be harmful to the team as well. The NHL has had its fair share of players like Kostitsyn and Radulov—players who put themselves first, don't buy into the team concept or make sacrifices (see Alexei Kovalev, Alexander Semin, Dany Heatley etc.).

These players don't play well with others, especially when it's been made public that they aren't wanted. The attitude they bring to Game 5 could be toxic in the locker room, affecting everyone else's focus in the process.  

In addition, regardless of who the players are, it's never good for team chemistry to continually mix up the roster. It would have been hard enough to bring these players in near the end of the season (Kostitsyn at the trade deadline and Radulov with nine games remaining), let alone pulling them in and out of the the lineup during the playoffs.  

As it appears that both players will return to the action for game five on Monday, it will be interesting to see how the team reacts to the players back into the lineup, as well as the extent that Radulov and Kostitsyn will be played. Don't be surprised if the two stars are a non-factor, if not detrimental to the team, resulting in a loss and a series win for the Phoenix Coyotes.  

Follow Riley Kufta on Twitter for more articles and news around the NHL.

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David Poile and Barry Trotz Risking It All

For all intents and purposes, the Nashville Predators had yet to experience any significant setbacks this season prior to the Andrei Kostitsyn/Alexander Radulov incident. 

They were among the elite teams in the Western Conference for the majority of the year, they've kept pending free agents Ryan Suter and Shea Weber relatively happy and had about as easy of an opening round series as they could've hoped for against the always-dangerous Detroit Red Wings.

So when the news broke that the Pred's two big in-season acquisitions had been suspended for staying out late the night before Game 2 vs. the Coyotes, there was no telling how the remaining players in Barry Trotz's locker room would react. 

“Every team that has success in the playoffs has to go through some adversity,” Trotz said on Tuesday. “They haven’t had to go through a whole lot of adversity yet, so this is a good test.”

But if Game 3 is any indication as to how this group deals with hardship, the Preds will do just fine without Kostitsyn and Radulov—perhaps even better.

In what was virtually a must-win game, Nashville defeated Phoenix 2-0 on Wednesday to cut the Coyotes' series lead in half, giving the Preds a renewed sense of hope and a much-needed injection of confidence. 

Not only did Nashville win, they essentially stole away all momentum Phoenix had built up in the past two games in the desert. Now, the Predators have the opportunity to even the series on Friday and put themselves in a strong position to advance to the conference finals. 

“It was a wake-up for us. We realized we weren’t playing our game, and we got back to that and were a lot better tonight,” captain Shea Weber said. “(The suspensions are) only as big a distraction as you make it. Everyone in here is focused.”

When David Poile announced the suspensions earlier this week, he made it clear that he works under the belief that the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts. The Preds have functioned that way since their inception in 1997, and being in the midst of their most successful season in team history doesn't change that. 

"The Nashville Predators have a few simple rules centered around doing the right things," Poile said. "We have always operated with a team-first mentality and philosophy. Violating team rules is not fair to our team and their teammates."

Chemistry is important for any team in the postseason, but it's especially vital for ones like Nashville that work under a tight budget. Having a group that can play together is more important than having talented individuals, and Wednesday's victory was a prime example.

The Preds have gotten this far with that attitude, so why change it now? 

"I will never apologize for doing what we felt was right," Trotz told NHL.com. "(The win) was a statement. I think it's a privilege to play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, to play for the Cup, and those guys took advantage of the privilege of playing. I think that's the sacred part of the playoffs. It will be very hard to change a whole lot from that group."

The question facing Poile and Trotz at this point is whether or not to allow Kostitsyn and Radulov to play in Game 4. It's not only a matter of discipline at this point, but also a matter of toying with what has proven to be successful. 

Strong arguments can be made for and against bringing back the two suspended players for Friday's contest, but the best course of action seems to be for the Preds to ice the same lineup they did for their first victory of the series.

Jordin Tootoo and Matt Halischuk—Kostitsyn and Radulov's replacements—both made positive impacts in Game 3, particularly Tootoo, who logged over 10 minutes of ice time, played a strong two-way game and led the team with five hits. 

And being down in the series 2-1, messing with the current fabric of the team could have dire consequences. Removing the hard-working Halischuk and Tootoo and substituting them with two players who were terrible in Game 2 doesn't seem to be in their best interests at this juncture.  

"It's very hard to change it if everybody is committed like they were," Trotz said following Game 3. 

Indeed. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

Andrew Hirsh is a credentialed NHL writer based in North Carolina and a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @andrewhirsh

The official stance being reported out of Nashville is that they had no idea two of their star players had been out most of the night before Game 2 against Phoenix.

After speaking with both players, Coach Barry Trotz decided to suspend Andrei Kostitsyn and Alexander Radulov for Game 3. He has also said that if the Predators win, they will also sit for Game 4.

Could this suspension be the end for the duo, who were added to the team late in the season?

It's not the first time that players have missed curfew the night before a game. One of the more notable incidents was back in 1988, when Petr Klima and Bob Probert went drinking before Game 5 against the Oilers.

It ended in a similar fashion to Game 2 between Phoenix and Nashville. The only difference was when Detroit was soundly thumped 8-4 by Edmonton, they were sent home for the season.

The episode in 1988 was believed to have cost then-Coach Jacques Demers his job in Detroit, and this year's may do the same for Radulov and Kostitsyn with the Predators.

Its been rumoured that Kostitsyn was frequently out late in bars and clubs while with the Habs, so to hear of this behaviour from him in Nashville is not all that surprising.

Kostitsyn was picked up by the Predators at the trade deadline. He managed four goals and eight assists in 19 games at the end of the season. Like Radulov, he too is in the final year of his contract.

Radulov has played in the KHL (Kontinential Hockey League) for the last four seasons of his contract with the Predators. His return after his team in Russia finished its season marked Radulov finishing out the last year of his contract. He played nine games at the end of the season and had three goals and four assists.

The Predators played a gritty game for the majority of the season and were in playoff contention when they added the two scorers for some more offensive power heading into the postseason. This means that this team has the ability to win Game 3 and get themselves back into this series.

Their combined effort in the postseason has four goals and six assists, with Radulov leading the teams individual efforts at six points. Kostitsyn is tied for the most goals with rookie Gabriel Bourque at three.

It makes the decision that Trotz made a controversial one. Benching two of the players that are leading in points could prove disastrous for the team.

However, their selfish antics the night before Game 2 led to one of their worst showings in this playoff and Radulov getting blasted by the NBC coverage team. Pointing out a lack of hustle on the Russian's part throughout the second game in Phoenix.

Had the two played the style that has them a top of the Predators' stats, their missing curfew would be a non-issue. The entire team has played poorly in the second round. The blame does not rest squarely on these two.

Yet, with the knowledge that they needed to play their best hockey it was irresponsible of the two players to go out until the reported 4 in the morning.

The Predators will have to dig in and play as they did throughout most of the regular season, leaning more heavily on other players than they have been thus far in the postseason.

Even if Nashville can pull off victories in the absence of Kostitsyn and Radulov, do not expect to see the Predators front office rushing to re-sign these two.

Radulov was already doubtful for a contract extension, as it took some convincing by team captain Shea Weber for him to return to play the remainder of his contract. This excursion could well be the nail in the coffin for his tenure with the Predators.

Should Nashville lose, their season will likely end a few days later. Even if Kostitsyn and Radulov return to the line-up for Game 4, the Preds will be down 3-0. A deficit that few teams have been able to rally back from.

It will be another disappointing season for the Nashville Predators if they end up losing this series. A good portion of the blame will land on their shoulders by fans and front office alike. For all the Preds have done this season, it will be this event that sticks out in the minds of the fans.

At this point the only way that Kostitsyn and Radulov will return to the organization next season is with a Predators victory: not just in Game 3 but the series as a whole. That may allow them to redeem themselves to the fans, front office and teammates.

If not, these two will be the scapegoats of this series, meaning Radulov will probably return to the KHL while Andrei Kostitsyn will be looking for a new team.

With their backs against the wall and adversity striking yet again, the Nashville Predators will dig deep to get back into the Western Conference Semi-Finals against a suddenly-explosive Phoenix Coyotes squad.

Heading back to Smashville for two games should've been the main focus over this travel break. Instead, stunning and deflating news came out as Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn were announced inactive for Game 3. 

Given the national media fallout Tuesday as this news broke, it's obvious that many of those watching this year's playoffs aren't familiar with how the Predators do things. 

The Predators play every minute with a chip-on-their-shoulder approach that got them to the playoffs seven of the last eight seasons despite being all-but-forgotten in the national spotlight.

The core of Nashville's roster has been together for a decade. They've been through more embarrassing playoff exits than they can remember. 

An overwhelming majority of that locker room was around when the franchise they knew and loved was falling apart and unable to buy the talent they needed. Without an awe-inspiring and monumental campaign from their fans to keep them from relocating and leaving for good, they wouldn't even be in this position. 

No Radulov or Kostitsyn, you said? It sounds dangerously close to being back to the regular-season Preds, who were miles better than the team that was run over in Game 2. 

There would be much more concern if Nashville was having offensive issues in this series. Instead, they've scored six goals in two games and still find themselves down 0-2. 

The Big Three of Shea Weber, Ryan Suter and Pekka Rinne are laughing right now. They just shut down one of the league's scariest offenses in Detroit to four goals in the final three games of their first-round series. 

Do you really think the best defensive three-headed monster in the league is scared of a Coyotes team that ranked 17th in scoring and 29th on the power play this season as they head back home? 

The Preds are no strangers to overcoming impossible odds. In fact, they've become experts at doing so. 

When they lace up their skates Wednesday night, each player will look around that locker room and see, by far, the best squad they've ever had in Nashville for a playoff series. They'll also see the determined faces of the players who have all bought into the system preached by head coach Barry Trotz.

Then, they'll race out in their signature banana-colored jerseys to the center of Bridgestone Arena, louder than ever, with thousands of fans swirling the towels that brand the motto "Stand With Us."

The Predators will stand firm against more hell than the Phoenix Coyotes could ever bring. This is a long series, and the Predators will make that imminent when they head back to Phoenix with a 2-2 series tie. 

Whether the Nashville Predators are in a 3-0 pothole or have sawed the series deficit to 2-1 after Wednesday night’s Game 3 against the Phoenix Coyotes, it may be because they were missing Andrei Kostitsyn and Alexander Radulov.

In addition, the open or subtle responses from each suspended party could go a long way towards clearing the air in the Nashville dressing room.

Tuesday’s revelation that the two vital scorers would be barred from Wednesday night’s action due to a violation of team rules was doubtlessly the last piece of news Predators fans wanted to hear.

Radulov was virtually invisible as Nashville brooked back-to-back losses in Phoenix to commence the Western Conference semifinals, but is still the team’s top postseason point-getter. Kostitsyn is tied with Gabriel Bourque for the team lead with three goals in the playoffs.

But, of course, these two are also in the hunt for the team lead in the way of unsavory disciplinary histories. Their suspensions could thus mark a vital turning point in the Predators’ rise to long-term contention.

The absence of both players could invite the Coyotes to start ringing Nashville’s 2012 playoff death knell a little louder. If that happens, then kudos will be owed to Predators general manager David Poile for his integrity.

On the other hand, having Radulov and Kostitsyn could be an invitation for a multitude of mute scorers to perk up and pivot the Preds back in the right direction. If that happens, then kudos will still be owed to Poile for rewarding only those players who have demonstrated a genuine, consistent interest in the team.

From a Nashville standpoint, the best-case scenario for Wednesday night will have the home team feeding off the Bridgestone Arena masses and, in turn, feeding that monster with an assertive victory. All the while, Kostitsyn and Radulov will watch from a distance in the press area as their teammates have a fun, productive night at work without them.

That will arguably deliver the message even more effectively than if the Predators lose and suddenly find themselves facing elimination as early as this Friday. Ideally, the two rebels should feel remorseful if they see their team struggle in their absence and thereby renew their appreciation for common benefit.

But that is hardly guaranteed. It could work the other way.

Nashville could fall short in Game 3, and the likes of Radulov and Kostitsyn could harbor the smug notion that they were too important to sit this one out and should have been given a pass for their off-ice infractions.

Naturally, that scenario will not do much good for the Predators in the immediate future. But remember that neither Radulov nor Kostitsyn were with this team until after the trading deadline nor were they in Nashville for the franchise’s first-ever playoff series victory last spring.

Both parties are also due to hit free agency come July 1. Accordingly, if there are no assuring signs of character improvement between now and spring cleaning in the Predators locker room, it will be easy enough to let the cancer cells go after an altogether brief stint.

In turn, Poile’s candid commitment to keeping the “team” a winning “team” could be a deciding factor in retaining some more savory soon-to-be free agents in Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.

In other words, by either reforming or removing those who threaten to tear down the Nashville powerhouse, Poile assures retaining those who have served as a part of the winning foundation.

Earlier today, the Nashville Predators announced that forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn had been suspended for breaking team rules, and would be sitting out for Game 3.  

This bold move comes after back-to-back losses to the Phoenix Coyotes, putting the Predators down 2-0 in the series.  

The Predators, for a number of years now, have been one of the most defensive-oriented teams in the NHL. However, in the first two games in second round, they've let in an uncharacteristic nine goals. 

In a series where the Predators are getting out-played offensively, one might wonder how they can justify benching the team's two leading point scorers. Or one might wonder if they're the reason the team is struggling defensively? 

While that theory could make sense for Radulov, who's minus-3 in the series, it doesn't fit for the plus-1 Kostitsyn. So that theory can be taken off the table, as it really does appear that this suspension was for off-ice reasons only.  

But is it worth it? It it reasonable to justify on-ice discipline for off-ice actions at this point of the season?

This isn't the regular season where sacrificing a game can be justified; it's the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where one mistake could mean the end. 

David Poile was one of the most active general managers at the trade deadline, adding Hal Gill, Andrei Kostitsyn and Paul Gaustad to the roster.  

His actions appeared to have a purpose—to display a commitment to winning in an effort to draw back Ryan Suter and Shea Weber in the offseason. When Radulov made the decision to return to the Predators, it was the icing on the cake as the Preds quickly became a favorite to win the Stanley Cup.  

In sidelining their two offensive leaders, David Poile isn't just jeopardizing the game, or even the series, but everything he worked for on the deadline and everything he's built over the years.  

If the Predators lose Game 3, and a lack of offense is an issue in the game, the fans and players of the Nashville Predators will be outraged. And more importantly, this contradictory commitment to winning could send two elite defenders elsewhere in the offseason, while reversing years of progress in the organization.  

Is putting values ahead of winning worth that possibility?

It is official, Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn have been suspended for Game 3 of the Predators series against the Phoenix Coyotes. The Predators, who are currently down 2-0 in the series, have to play without the help of two of their important late-season additions.

According to John Shannon of Sportsnet, both players were spotted in downtown Scottsdale at 4 a.m. the morning of Game 2, although news is just starting to come out on the suspensions.

In GM David Poile's release he focused on the importance of rules and putting the team before individual players. Poile stated:

"It's disappointing any time a player has to miss a game because of violating a team rule, and it's even more significant at playoff time, but the decision between the coach and myself was very easy. We have to do the right thing. Their actions spoke volumes in terms of their lack of commitment and focus to give our a club a chance to win." 

It was also announced today that the Preds have recalled five players from their AHL affiliate including two defensemen (Jonathon Blum and Victor Bartley), two forwards (Chris Mueller and Kyle Wilson) and goaltender Jeremy Smith.

Maybe with some fresh blood in the mix for Game 3 the Preds will be able to get some flow against the Coyotes.

All this news just leaves more questions that will be answered on Wednesday night. 

Will these Game 3 suspensions ignite the Preds to play harder and come out with a win? Will AHL players get playing time? Who will step up in Radulov and Kostitsyn's absence? Do you think David Poile and Barry Trotz made the right decision?

This was supposed to be the Nashville Predators year. 

The organization had loyally stood by Head Coach Barry Trotz and General Manager David Poile as they rose from expansion team through middling playoff contender status to now, where they have legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations.  Of all years, 2011-12 was supposed to be the year. 

Poile shelled out first- and second-round draft picks that brought back impending unrestricted free agents Paul Gaustad and Andrei Kostitsyn.  Earlier in the season the team signed goaltender Pekka Rinne to a massive seven-year contract extension, locking up a franchise goalie and sending the message that they were willing to accommodate their star players.  These moves were made with a bigger goal in mind, one that came to fruition soon after the trade deadline. 

Alexander Radulov, once a highly-touted prospect in the team's farm system, was coming back after deserting the team following the 2008 season.  The move angered many NHL executives and fans and was a clear circumvention of the CBA.  Radulov didn't have to clear waivers and was free to report to the Predators. 

His first game, on March 22 against Pittsburgh, ended in a Predators loss.  Radulov logged nearly 16 minutes of ice time and scored that often elusive first-goal-after-ditching-the-team.  The excitement intensified in the Music City. 

Fast forward to May 1, and Radulov has been suspended by the very team that drafted him in the first round in 2004, signed him to a standard NHL Entry Level Contract two years later, watched him abandon ship for greener pastures in the KHL, and fought tooth and nail to bring him back across the Atlantic. 

The reports are that he and Andrei Kostitsyn violated their curfews before Game 2 against the Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday.  Radulov's effort in that game was questioned several times by media members, including a well-publicized rant by NBC's Keith Jones.  Radulov logged 15:17 in Game 2, a stark decline from the 21:28 he played in the first game of the series. 

Preparing for a time of the season where character always prevails over pure skill and talent, was bringing Radulov back a pure mistake on the part of the well-respected Poile?  The lack of effort on the backcheck, missed defensive assignments and body language are all a part of Radulov's skill set, along with being a dynamic offensive force when motivation seems to find him. 

For a team not only attempting to advance past the second round for the first time in franchise history but also auditioning for their own players as a long-term competitor (see Ryan Suter and Shea Weber), the Radulov signing could be catastrophic in that respect as well.  Weber, the team's captain, is not signed beyond this season.  Suter is in the same position but will have his choice of suitors on July 1.  

Neither these two nor the rest of the team could possibly be thrilled that a third of the team's top-six forwards, players the organization invested heavily in, will be absent in a critical game three. 

On the other hand, were questions of Radulov's character answered already?  This is a man who turned his back on the team that gave him an opportunity to play at hockey's highest level.  Now, once again, Radulov's pure selfishness has put the Predators organization in another bind.  What else could he possibly do to offset what was supposed to be a lengthy playoff run? 

After heartless outbursts like this, it's hard to imagine Barry Trotz wanting Radulov's habits to rub off on the team's younger players.  It's a rough situation when the question, "have you ever seen Alexander Radulov block a shot?" is not an actual question but rather a punchline.

The Radulov situation endured by the Nashville Predators serves as a lesson for all armchair general managers out there.  When it comes to the playoffs, character will always prevail over talent and skill.  It is that sentiment that may be the team's downfall in these playoffs. 

Follow Salim Valji on Twitter.