Alexander Radulov: biography, career and personal life of a hockey player

Alexander Radulov: biography, career and personal life of a hockey player

Alexander Valerievich Radulov is a famous Russian hockey player who plays in the National Hockey League for the Dallas Stars. Born on July 5, 1986 in Nizhny Tagil, Sverdlovsk region. Alexander Radulov's game has always been characterized by aggressiveness and focus on the opponent's goal. In addition, a hockey player is characterized by excellent technique and non-standard game thinking. However, the main thing for him has always been team success, and not personal indicators in statistical fields.

Carier start

Alexander Radulov in childhood
Alexander Radulov began his career as a professional hockey player in the THC hockey club from Tver in the 2003-2004 season. In the same season, the transition to the Dynamo Moscow system took place, in which the promising young hockey player showed himself brilliantly. The hockey player's potential was noticed by NHL scouts during the 2004-2005 season. He started as a member of the Canadian club Quebec Remparts, which played in the junior league. It was during this period of time that Radulov announced himself as a potential world-class star. In particular, the domestic hockey player has the following achievements as part of the Canadian club:

• hexa-trick (6 goals in one match);
• Septa-trick (7 goals in one match);
• regular season leading scorer with 152 points, 61 goals and 91 assists;
• top playoff scorer with 55 points, 21 goals and 34 assists;
• winner of the memorial cup.

Previously everyone was happy

— You ended your hockey career at 32 years old. It's a bit early...

- Because of the children. I went to Izhevsk. The wife remained alone with them in Tagil. And this is 630 km. The boys took up hockey, she constantly called and complained: “I can’t cope with them!”

- So much energy on four legs.

“We no longer had grandmothers, only grandfather.” I had to give up everything. Immediately after the preseason I went to write a statement.

—What did you live on then?

— My wife traded at the market, I trained the children. First of all, our own, then strangers. There was an apartment and enough for food. We got equipment through friends: they would give some as gifts, and sell some for cheap. Previously, everyone was happy. This went on for three years.

- And then?

— We began to move to Yaroslavl. First Igor was sent, then Sasha. Soon my wife and I caught up. Igor, when he lived alone, began to ask to go home.

- It’s understandable.

— At 13 years old, being alone in a foreign city is not easy. We didn't want to pull it off so early. He insisted. But after three months something broke...

- How did you do?

- He said: “When you come back, you’ll finish hockey and go to study.” It was easier for the younger one next to the older one. And Igor was left to his own devices. He hesitated for three weeks, then calmed down.

- Remained.

“And they had nowhere to go.” Education has gone by the wayside. When you travel, you spend little time studying.

- This is true.

— What is the system at the boarding school? We've finished training and are off to the ice. Homework was often not completed. Igor at least tried to attend classes, but Sashka was systematically kicked out of classes.

— Were you interested in anything other than hockey?

— Now he is good at computers, speaks English, and speaks a little French. But subjects like mathematics and physics... You have to delve into them, understand them, teach them... Oh, he didn’t study himself, and he didn’t let others.

- Looks like him.

— They also wanted to kick him out of the hockey section...

- But this is interesting.

— The coach howled into the phone: “He’s uncontrollable! I don't need one like that! Take it!” I come to pick him up, but they don’t give me the documents.

- Strange.

“The director says: “Leave him with us.”

- Where is the logic?

- I didn’t understand it myself. Only a month and a half later they gave me the papers, and we went to Dynamo. There were no such problems with Igor for six years at the Torpedo school. Sasha only lasted a year and a half.

Transition to the NHL

Move to the NHL (Nashville Predators)
During the 2006-2007 season. Alexander began playing for the Milwaukee Admirals team, which was the farm club of the Nashville Predators. The hockey player's debut for the main team took place on October 21, 2006.

During his first year of playing, Alexander Radulov played 64 matches for Nashville, in which he scored 18 goals and 19 assists.

In the 2007-2008 season, the hockey player played 81 matches, in which he scored 26 goals and gave 32 assists to his partners.

You won’t surprise anyone with a Mercedes now

— Alexander has often been “matched” to SKA in recent years. Did it really happen?

— There was definitely one conversation - a month before the 2012 World Cup: the then general manager of SKA Alexey Kasatonov talked with the agent. But as far as I understand, it didn’t get to the specifics. I don’t meddle in all this.

— Did big money change your sons?

- I wouldn’t say. Sasha somewhere does not know how to control her emotions, but this is character, and not star fever, as some believe. Both of them, of course, do not drive Zhiguli cars, but they live according to their possibilities. They don’t buy yachts and houses, and now you won’t surprise anyone with a Mercedes.

— Unless a pink Bentley might attract attention.

— Sasha first got behind the wheel at the age of 22. I think he earned his cars through hard work and effort. Now 18-year-old boys just sign a contract in the KHL and immediately wave their keys with a star in a circle.

“You can’t forbid living beautifully.”

— For example, my student, Kirill Dyakov, when he became a Ugra player at the age of 18, the first thing he did was buy a Mercedes. "For what? - I ask. “You’re not really standing on your feet yet.” He smiles: “I wanted...”.

Return to the domestic championship

Salavat Yulaev
In 2008, the format of the Russian Ice Hockey Championship changed. The tournament was named “Continental Hockey League”. Teams from abroad began to be invited to participate in the tournament. The league's leadership set the task of creating a tournament that would be as popular as the NHL. To implement this task, many domestic clubs were allocated additional funding to attract world-class hockey players to their rosters. One of these clubs was the Ufa “Salavat Yulaev”, which signed Alexander Radulov. The transition caused a lot of controversy between the NHL and the KHL, since Alexander Radulov had a valid contract with the Nashville Predators. Despite this, the hockey player started the 2008 season as part of a club from Ufa. For the KHL, the move of Alexander Radulov was a great achievement. Numerous PR campaigns were built around it, aimed at popularizing the new tournament.

In the first season of his performances for Salavat Yulaev, the hockey player took part in 52 matches, scoring 22 goals and giving 26 assists. In addition, Alexander became the leader of his club and one of the brightest hockey players in the entire league. Moreover, at that time, the level of Alexander Radulov’s play was much higher than even the level of the league’s leading hockey players. It seemed that he simply could not be stopped. Focus on goal, excellent wrist shot, ability to make the perfect pass to a partner. All these qualities made Alexander Radulov the main star of the league. Many defenders simply did not know how to resist an attacker of this level. The hockey player played in the Ufa club from 2008 to 2012. and achieved the following successes:

• Three-time regular season MVP;
• Twice regular season top scorer;
• Top scorer of the playoffs;
• Winner of the Gagarin Cup in the 2010-2011 season.

The end of the 2011-2012 season. Alexander Radulov played in the NHL as a member of the Nashville Predators. At that time, Salavat Yulaev was relegated from the KHL, and Radulov had the opportunity to play for Nashville. This business trip ended in failure for the hockey player. Alexander was suspended from the team for violating the rules before one of the games.

New season 2012-2013 hockey player, started already as a member of CSKA Moscow. The army club entered into a sponsorship contract with and gathered strong hockey players into its ranks. The cost of the transfer from the Salavat Yulaev club was 255 million rubles.

Radulov in CSKA

In the new club, Alexander became a player around whom the team’s play is built. For a considerable time he was the captain of the club. It was clear that over the years, Alexander Radulov gained significant gaming experience. There was less aggression in his play and more results-oriented actions. In the 2014-2015 season. the hockey player became the top scorer, both in the regular championship and in the playoffs. However, he was never able to get the Gagarin Cup.

Personal life of Alexander Radulov

In 2015, the national hero and one of the most prominent Russian hockey players got married. The chosen one of the 29-year-old athlete was 22-year-old Daria Dmitrieva, silver medalist of the 2012 Olympics in rhythmic gymnastics.

Alexander Radulov and his wife Daria

The newlyweds did not organize a magnificent celebration on the occasion of the wedding, since the bride was at that time in the last months of pregnancy. At the end of the year their son Makar was born.

Alexander Radulov with his son Makar

Alexander Radulov lives in the Northern capital, where his relatives moved from Nizhny Tagil, and, by the way, supports FC Zenit. He noted in an interview that he was very attracted to Switzerland, where there is an opportunity to take a break from the noisy and stormy impressions of the sports of real men. The forward named his motto as his life credo: “Never stop!”

Critics noted the expressive and explosive nature of the athlete. As confirmation of this, they cited the facts of his beating of Finnish coach Ilari Neckel right during the game, scandals with stadium employees, revelations about the low qualifications of judges, and a peculiar relationship with the press, in which he considers it possible to send journalists to the most remote regions of our homeland.

Return to the NHL

To the Montreal Canadiens
In 2021, Alexander Radulov returned to the NHL and signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens. That season was very successful for the domestic hockey player and he became the team’s second scorer. However, Montreal itself was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs that season and could not count the season to its credit.

Dallas Stars

In 2021, he moved to the Dallas Stars, for which the hockey player currently plays. Despite the excellent play of Alexander Radulov and a well-equipped squad, the Dallas Stars are among the favorites of the Stanley Cup, but cannot win this tournament.

Nine hiking seasons

— “Sputnik”, for which you played, played mainly in the First and Second Leagues. But there it was not easy just to stay awake...

— The weak become drunkards. There are enough of these everywhere. Regardless of city or league. There were, of course, those who gave in. But it depends on the person.

— Sometimes from his salary: the less he receives, the more he drinks.

— By Soviet standards, we were paid normally. For me, for example, 280-300 rubles. For comparison, my father, who worked at the factory, had a salary of 220-250.

- Solid.

- In the First League it is even more respectable - about 350. And the most received, of course, were collections from Moscow clubs - under 500. Players of the level of Kharlamov, Petrov.

— Rates have changed somewhat in recent years.

“We weren’t luxurious, but we had enough to live on.” Times are different now: children are dressed in full uniforms and brought to training. And then even buying a car is a problem. Not only did it cost 5-6 thousand, but the queue for it often lasted for years.

- If you neither eat nor drink in a year and a half, with your salary, you could save up for a car. Well, by the way, not so long...

“Nevertheless, throughout the nine seasons that I played for Sputnik, I walked. In 1992, he moved to Izhevsk, where they promised to help with the purchase of a car. But promising does not mean doing...

— As one of our acquaintances says: “I am the master of my word: I give if I want, I take it back if I want.”

— Now I’m going to Sashkina. The sons constantly suggest: “Should I buy you a new one?” "For what? — I’m surprised, “Am I some kind of oligarch?” I’m quite happy with this too.”

— The Land Cruiser would suit many people.

— After the first season in North America, Igor gave me a “ninety-nine.” Foreign cars were just appearing, but there was no money for them yet. I drove the Lada for two years and sold it.

Playing in the Russian national team

Playing on the Russian national team
In 2004, the hockey player won the World Junior Championship as part of the country's national team. Alexander Radulov's debut in the country's national hockey team took place in 2007. Since then, the hockey player has played many excellent matches as part of the Russian national team and achieved the following successes:

• World champion 2008 and 2009;
• bronze medalist at the 2007 World Championships.

For domestic fans, Alexander Radulov’s performance in the finals of the 2008 and 2009 World Championships will be especially memorable. In 2008, Alexander was an important part of the team that beat Canada in overtime on their home ice. And in 2009, the hockey player was one of the main leaders of the team throughout the entire tournament and scored a very beautiful goal in the final.

Sports, factory, or something dubious

— Are your sons also similar to you in their skating style?

- Never at all. They don't look alike either. Skating, stick handling - everything is different. Moreover, I played in defense, but they, you see, preferred attack.

- By yourself?

- Yes. From morning to evening they disappeared on the street. In winter - on the ice, in summer - on the football field. I was the same way. What else to do in Tagil?

— They say it’s a harsh city.

— Well, there’s plenty of crime everywhere. That it’s not in St. Petersburg or Moscow? No matter where you live, you need to have a head on your shoulders.

- And to cope with the desire to get easy money.

— At that time there was not a wide choice. Either you are doing sports or something dubious. People's destinies turned out differently. Some people’s children went to work at a factory after the army. Someone left the city, someone was imprisoned...

— To each, as they say, his own.

— Sashka maintains relationships with many fellow countrymen. When they play in Yekaterinburg, they come to see him. Hockey in Tagil is the main sport.

— And your Sasha is the main local symbol of this sport.

“Nowadays he rarely goes out to his small homeland—over time, he’s become stressed out.” And when they were little, living in a Yaroslavl boarding school, every summer they asked to come home - to see us, grandmothers, friends.

- Cute.

- If you went for a walk somewhere, I was worried like a father: don’t go there, don’t go here - it’s already late, be careful. They: “Don’t worry, we know everyone here.” “Yes, who do you know? - I’m indignant. “You haven’t lived here for three years!”

— Did you come back with black eyes?

— There are many friends and acquaintances in Tagil. Then no. When I was young, of course, anything could happen. But overall it's ok. In recent years, many have asked: “How did you live there?”

- And How?

“Yes, just like here,” I answer. The town is small, metallurgical, somewhat dirty, yes, but this is our hometown. There are a lot of friendly people there. Excellent athletes also appear: Dmitry Yudin, Oleg Shatov, Maxim Kanunnikov...

- Sergei Shepelev also.

“We didn’t cross paths with him on the ice.” Although we know each other well.

— It’s strange, there are not many teams in Tagil...

— Shepelev, firstly, is four years older. Secondly, at the age of 16 he left for Sverdlovsk, where he was noticed by Spartak breeders. In Tagil he performed only at the youth level.

- Got it.

— We later crossed paths when in 2004 Igor moved from Norfolk to him at Spartak. We drank coffee together several times and reminisced about our youth.

If a child has no desire, nothing will work out.

— How long have you worked as a children’s coach?

- Seven years in total. The work is not easy. Requires a lot of patience.

- Sometimes - huge.

- Children are different. Some are explosive, like my Sashka. Other phlegmatic people. Each one needs its own keys. You can't do it under fire. If the child has no desire, nothing will work out.

— Many parents disagree with this statement.

“I’m amazed at some of them.” They shout from the stands, almost swearing: “Let’s go, let’s play!” I never forced mine. They themselves enjoyed hockey.

— Genetic predisposition, apparently.

— A friend of mine had two children who played hockey, but they stopped at the age of 11 and 13 and lost interest.

- “Have you eaten too much”?

- Yes. And no stick can make them fall in love with the game again.

“You won’t be nice with force.”

— I was called several times to be a children’s coach at schools in St. Petersburg and Moscow. He categorically refused. As I remember these “pioneer camps” - marching in formation, trips, training camps... The boys are 9-10 years old and you are responsible for each one. Having moved to St. Petersburg, I gave up this job.

- She's ungrateful.

— Youth hockey can still be considered. But I’m no longer at the same age as a child