How is that a bluff to call? He's Russian. He's not going to be all broken up about playing in the KHL over the AHL making a shit ton more money in the process. Not like he's from Manitoba with no real viable options.
It’s absolutely a bluff Russian players have in their back pocket, but both players and their agents know, if they follow through with the threat, it can… and probably will backfire.
So call it a bluff or threat or negotiation tactic. Whatever the case, it’s not in his best interest to return to Russia, if he truly wants to play in the NHL.
He can destroy several years of NHL earning potential, if he goes back to the KHL and doesn’t play great. Then what?
If he goes back and is only average, the Preds will just let him marinate over there. That can turn into 2, 3, 4 years real quick. Then he returns at 25-26 under his same contract.
He’d be stupid to pull the KHL card at 22, on the verge of playing in the NHL… yet he just did it anyway. Teams won’t like that. It’s not gonna make them say, “hey let’s go get that character.”
Look, it would be one thing if he was lighting up the AHL. He wasn’t. His stats are fine, but there’s a reason he wasn’t Milwaukee’s #1 in the playoffs. Cossa outplayed him in that series. Nobody’s demanding Cossa play in the NHL this year.
We all get he wants his chance and thinks he’s ready, but it’s clear in this thread, how many fans haven’t been watching him play. They just know he was a high pick with a junior pedigree and his stats are solid. They don’t understand he’s played on a really good team. They don’t understand he’s not consistently making game saving or game changing saves. He’s been solid, but nothing special. He also has this problem, giving up the worst goals at the worst times. The exact reason he didn’t play all the series deciding games in the playoffs. One of the great differences between an average and great goalie, is making those timely saves. He’s not shown that yet. Exactly why he’s still been in the AHL.
He’s still probably the top goalie prospect in the league though. He’s close. That said, this threat can backfire and cost him several NHL earning years.
This threat is not gonna make Nashville hand him a spot, nor is it going to make other teams more interested in him, than they were yesterday. Probably less, because they don’t want the headache either.
Like I said. Nashville should just let it play out. If he earns the backup role, great. If not, and he fails to report to the AHL, and returns to Russia, let him go back and wish him well.
Worst case for Nashville is, he shows back up next summer, or in a couple of years, and he’s still playing under is current contract.
They’re in no hurry with him. They have a franchise goaltender. They hold all the cards. If teams are lowballing them, no big deal. Just let it play out. They’re under no obligation to trade him. Let him marinate.
If he goes home and lights up the KHL, then they’ll get nice value for him. Otherwise, just let him continue to develop.