Two call-ups and 16 games played were enough for rookie Alexander Radulov to prove he deserved to stay in the NHL. The Nashville Predators have informed Radulov to begin looking for permanent housing in the Music City; his days of living out of a suitcase appear to be finished.

Radulov has lit the lamp eight times (three game-winning goals, one power-play goal), earned a respectable +7 rating, and he has eight PIMs while only averaging nine minutes and 33 seconds of ice-time per game (only Jordin Tootoo and Darcy Hordichuk are on the ice for less time). Radulov has proven himself to be a gifted sniper by scoring eight goals while taking only 19 shots (42.1% shooting percentage).

Radulov brings a refreshing, tireless love for the game. "He's entertaining on the ice; he's entertaining off the ice," said coach Barry Trotz. "He seems like he's always on Red Bull or something. He's got lots of energy. If we didn't kick him off the ice every day, he'd be out there for three or four hours," said Trotz. "He loves to play."

Radulov's eight goals scored places him in third amongst rookies, yet he has only played in a fraction of the games the others have played.

"I don't even try to look at that," said Radulov. "I just try not to think about. It doesn't matter to me if I score or if my teammates score. I just want to win the game and make our fans happy."

At the start of the season, Radulov was sent to Milwaukee (AHL minor league affiliate for the Predators) due to a numbers game. Radulov was the only Predator that would not have to clear waivers to be sent down.

"Sometimes it's not because you're not ready," said Radulov. "It was about the team's situation. They had too many good players. But I didn't give up. I just tried to work hard there until they had a chance to call me up."

Radulov's future in Nashville has only just begun.

ICE CHIPS

Nashville ranks fifth in the NHL in goals per game with 3.24... Steve Sullivan (41st), Martin Erat (47th), and Paul Kariya (48th) may lead the Predators in scoring, but are barely in the NHL's top 50 point producers... While Nashville has outscored opponents 34-23 in the first period and 41-16 in the second period, the Predators are being severely outscored 19-38 in the third period this season.

Nashville has three defensemen ranked among the league's top 30 scoring blue-liners: Kimmo Timonen (six goals, 13 assists for 19 points), Shea Weber (five goals, 12 assists for 17 points), and Marek Zidlicky (three goals, 13 assists for 16 points).

INJURIES

Center Jason Arnott is day-to-day with a knee injury suffered vs. Columbus on November 20th... Center David Legwand is day-to-day with a hand injury suffered at Phoenix on December 4th... Right wing Steve Sullivan is day-to-day with a groin strain suffered at Los Angeles on December 7th... Right wing Scottie Upshall is out four to six weeks with a groin strain suffered at Columbus on November 15th... Goaltender Tomas Vokoun is out two to four weeks with a hand injury suffered vs. Vancouver on November 23rd.