Zherdev? Come On.

C.J. "Stoosh" Jiuliante | Transactions & Rumors

Jun 6, 08:15 AM | Hype this story!

Who thinks this stuff up? Mark Madden spent part of his Tuesday afternoon radio show on ESPN Radio 1250 here in Pittsburgh discussing a rumor that was making the rounds on some of the internet hockey sites. Believed to have originated on Spector’s Hockey (www.spectorshockey.net), the rumor stated that the Penguins and Vancouver Canucks have both contacted the Columbus Blue Jackets about disgruntled-but-talented scoring winger Nikolai Zherdev. Madden reported the rumor to suggest that the Penguins would package wingers Ryan Malone and Colby Armstrong with their first round pick (20th overall) in the upcoming Entry Draft to the Blue Jackets. In exchange, the Penguins would receive Zherdev and 25-year old defenseman Rostislav Klesla.

Madden didn’t originate the rumor; he just reported it. I’m surprised he didn’t dismiss it right away, though, because it makes little sense on a few ends.

First of all, you’d think Klesla and Zherdev (both early first-rounders) would bring more than an underachieving forward rapidly approaching his prime, a consummate energy player and a mid-late first round pick. Klesla is perhaps the best young blueliner in the Columbus organization. At 25 years old, he still hasn’t peaked and he’s just beginning to polish his game. Columbus needs another player or two like him, so they shouldn’t be contemplating the notion of trading him. Dumb.

Zherdev is an incredibly skilled winger who once projected to be the top overall pick leading up to the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. That top honor eventually went to current Pens’ goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, and Zherdev fell to fourth overall after Carolina took Eric Staal second overall and then Florida took Nathan Horton third. Zherdev nevertheless made his NHL debut in the 2003-04 season, putting up a respectable 34 points (13G, 21A) in 57 games for a crappy Columbus team. After spending the lockout season back in Russia, he had a breakout season in 2005-06 with 54 points (27G, 27A) in 73 games. During the 05-06 season though, he broke a nail or something and began to develop a reputation as a petulant prima donna and coach killer after fueding with then-coach Gerard Gallant. A contract dispute after the 05-06 season turned very ugly and Zherdev threatened to play in Russia for the 2006-07 season, a threat he made good on for a brief eight-game stretch. Zherdev returned to the NHL and not long afterwards, Gallant was relieved of his coaching duties. Zherdev also did not reportedly get along well with Ken Hitchcock after the notoriously-tough coach was brought in to replace Gallant. Zherdev’s numbers suffered badly, posting only 32 points in 71 games (10G, 22A). She’s a bitch, that Karma.

The Pens have had success with projects before. In November of 1998, the Pens acquired Alexei Kovalev from the New York Rangers in a multi-player deal. Kovalev at the time was regarded as one of the league’s most enigmatic players, having never scored more than 24 goals and 58 points in a season despite his incredible talent. Kovalev became a force after establishing chemistry with Martin Straka and Robert Lang. Kovelev’s three full seasons (1999-00 to 2001-02) with the Pens produced the three most productive seasons of his career.

Kovalev was considered an enigmatic underachiever when he arrived in Pittsburgh, but a coach killer and poor teammate he was not (at least not here). Zherdev seems to be cut from a different cloth…almost the same kind of disruptive force that Pavel Bure came to be in Vancouver (and us Canucks fans remember Pavel’s descent from league-wide badass to whiny little bitch).

There is little room for that kind of attitude on a team trying to compete for a Stanley Cup. In no other sport are chemistry, leadership and selflessness more important to success in the playoff grind than they are in the NHL. Just ask the Atlanta Thrashers. But that alone is one reason why it would be senseless for the Pens to give up a player like Armstrong in a deal like this. Armstrong will never, ever have Zherdev’s natural talent with the puck, but Zherdev on his best day will never, ever have anywhere near the stones or the guts, or the sense of team and leadership that Army does. In fact, I’m not even sure Zherdev knows what “leadership” or “team” means.

It just doesn’t make much sense. Columbus needs scoring help, and they aren’t going to get it from Malone and Army. Pittsburgh needs a winger, but not at the risk of bringing a known pain in the ass into the locker room. I’d rather see them keep Army, keep Malone (I can’t believe I just said that), and sign Paul Kariya. Kariya would cost some bucks, to be sure. But he’s an established veteran, a proven star, and he’s a good guy to boot.

Comments

  1. Matt

    Jun 21, 10:01 PM

    I agree that zherdev’s locker room presence scares me but if they included klesla too that’s a tough deal to pass up. Plus I believe it’s time for Malone to go. That said this rumor is very hard to believe.

  2. Matt Bodenschatz

    Jun 21, 10:42 PM

    I may not be Stoosh, But I figured I’d add my .02.

    Zherdev is a an intriguing player, as the talent is there, but the mental makeup is not. I highly doubt the Blue Jackets would have to include a young defenseman such as Klesla to get rid of Zherdev, despite his shortcomings.

  3. Stoosh

    Jun 22, 08:32 AM

    I don’t know…I love the thought of having someone as skilled as Zherdev on the wings with Cros and Malkin or Staal. And the inclusion of Klesla would make me think, because I’ve liked Rusty going back to his days in junior (played for Brampton of the OHL...teammate of Raffi Torres). I just don’t like the potential shift in chemistry there. Malone and Army are good character guys and that goes a long way on a roster like this. Zherdev is about the same age as the rest of our core player base, so maybe that would neutralize his attitude a bit. And I do think Crosby would help temper him. I just remember watching Pavel Bure melt down in Vancouver and what that did to the Canucks in the mid-late 1990s. Granted, Bure was the perceived alpha dog on those Vancouver teams, and that wouldn’t be the case for Zherdev here. But still. Dammit, you guys are making me rethink this.

  4. Matt Bodenschatz

    Jun 22, 10:32 AM

    I’ll tell you what, Stoosh, this team has so much character that I think it would be difficult (though not impossible) for one player to screw it up.

    The key point you mentioned is that Bure was the alpha dog in Vancouver. Zherdev, at best, would be, what, number four, behind Crosby, Malkin and Staal? Heck, a case could even be made that Whitney and Fleury would be ahead of him as well.

    Plus, his attitude certainly might take a turn for the better while playing on a team filled with guys his age — including a Russian his age — and on a team that knows how to win games and has an extremely bright present and future.

    I’d be hard-pressed to pass-up on him if the opportunity was there — but Shero would have to assign some players to work with him to adjust the attitude.

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