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Compher signed; is Radulov next? |
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Rick Sadowski
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The Avalanche announced on Monday that they have signed forward J.T. Compher, 21, to a three-year, entry-level contract, so he'll take part in training camp in the fall.
Compher, who is from Northbrook, Ill., had 16 goals, 47 assists and a plus-35 rating in 38 games this year as a junior at the University of Michigan, where he was team captain. The Wolverines lost to eventual NCAA champion North Dakota in a regional final.
Compher has been named to the U.S. team that will play in the IIHF World Championships in Russia from May 6-22.
Compher was acquired from Buffalo in the Ryan O'Reilly trade last summer. In exchange for O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn, the Avalanche also acquired Mikhail Grigorenko, Nikita Zadorov and a second-round pick in last year's NHL draft.
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There's been plenty of speculation regarding the future of forward Alexander Radulov, the former Nashville first-round pick who played for Avalanche coach Patrick Roy in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey league and has spent the past four seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League.
According to Russian writer/translator Slava Malamud, Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov told the Russian newspaper Sport Express that Colorado is "waiting for Radulov. He’ll be one of the leaders there ... all he needs to do is dial Patrick and his return will happen. I hope we can win the Cup with him.”
The Avalanche doesn't comment on rumors, but they still have to sign restricted free agents Tyson Barrie, Mikhail Grigorenko, Nathan MacKinnon and Calvin Pickard. Trade deadline acquisitions Mikkel Boedker and Shawn Matthias will be eligible for unrestricted free agency July 1.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman tweeted that the Avalanche could be Radulov's top choice if he returns to the NHL.
Radulov, who turns 30 in July, played two seasons for Roy with the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL, combining for 93 goals and 134 assists in 127 regular-season games. He had 27 goals and 39 assists in 36 playoff games.
A first-round pick (No. 15) of the Predators in 2004, Radulov spent two seasons with Nashville, accounting for 44 goals and 51 assists in 145 games, with five goals and three assists in 10 playoff games, after which he bolted for the KHL with one year left on his entry-level contract.
He returned to the Predators late in the 2011-12 season and had three goals with four assists in nine games. He had one goal and five assists in eight playoff games.
Radulov spent the past four seasons with CSKA Moscow in the KHL. He had 23 goals and 42 assists in 53 games this season, with four goals and 13 assists in 20 playoff games.
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