Home HockeyBuzz Register Login
Winnipeg, MB • Canada • 33 Years Old • Male

Jets must sign Zherdev

Posted 1:01 AM ET | Comments 30
All reports are leading to the Winnipeg Jets talking contract with the agent for talented forward Nik Zherdev.

As most have probably read or heard by now Zherdev is a talented forward that can dazzle you with skill one game and not show up the next.

I believe that this is more made up by the media in Philly and New York because zherdev did not fit into the coaches system.

Zherdev reminds me a lot of Zhamnov. He's a Shift play maker that can also score. Your not going to have him killing penalties or lining guys up with big hits but he is a player with a skill set that makes him a danger on offense.

Zherdev played on teams with hard ass coaches one in Torterella the other in Laviolette. Both coaches expect all of the players to buy into a system where even the top players play the game like 3rd line checkers away from the puck.

I have played the game at a high level and know that not everyone can play that style of game. Some can and that's fine but I never seen Gretzky play a grinding it out in the corners style game. It's not for everyone and instead of show-casing the skill of Zherdev and utilizing him to his assets he was asked to buy into a system that was not tailored to his strong points. In the end he was out-cast.

Winnipeg needs a top line center badly and Zherdev is not the solution to this. However He has a history with coach Noel dating back to when he was in columbus. In an interview earlier in the day he had said that he is very interested in playing in Winnipeg and has already talked to Zhamnov about his playing days in the peg. Zhamnov was quick to let him in on the fact that it gets cold here but also informed Zherdev that its the perfect conditions for hockey. Zherdev went on in the article to state that climate and location have no barring at all in where he plays. He is looking for a role on a team with a good coach and contract.

Zherdev made 2 million last season for Philly and on many nights was playing 3rd 4th lines minuets yet still racked up 16 goals in 56 games played.

My Calculations are he would have scored 22 goals if he played 82 games with only 8min of ice time a game.

In Winnipeg he could look to double that and i'm guessing he's put up 30 plus goals. Noel knows what this player is capable of and my guess is the Jets sign him to a 1-2 year deal at or around what he made last season. my guess is 2.3 million.

Winnipeg has always had an abundance of Russian players on their teams. I think the fit here will be nice for both the player and the organization.

Filed Under:   Jets   Zherdev  
July 29, 2011 1:26 AM ET | Delete
The problem with Zherdev is, he seems to expect things to be handed to him. He's got a ton of talent, and if he had the work ethic of a guy like Brad Marchand, he'd be making $7mm a year, easily.
July 29, 2011 1:49 AM ET | Delete
Is it just me, or does the Columbus system ruin talented players? I mean, Rick Nash is Rick Nash, but I'm talking about guys like Filatov, Zherdev, and maybe even Mason if he doesn't pull up his straps. Hopefully the same fate doesn't await Ryan Johansson. He's one hell of a talent. Steal at 4th overall.
July 29, 2011 3:59 AM ET | Delete
Zherdev in centre?
July 29, 2011 4:12 AM ET | Delete
The only problem with this article is that Zherdev is a RW.
July 29, 2011 5:42 AM ET | Delete
Lol well Zherdev will make the locker room miserable for Winnipeg and might make others think "Wll he isn't trying hard so why should I?" Thats not a good mentality. He has no work ethic and in case you have not noticed,he does not play center.
July 29, 2011 8:38 AM ET | Delete
lmao zherdev.....really i can name other players to be a better fit like if a.kostitsyn has a good yr he cud be trade bait
July 29, 2011 11:17 AM ET | Delete
Zherdev could easily be a 30 goal scorer if given the chance and with the motivation. He could be a great addition to the Jets and I hope that he is (I am pulling for them to have a good season). But don't get too excited, the intangibles are just not there for this RW. If I were the Jets, I would sign him to a one year deal for your projected number. Low risk, high reward.
July 29, 2011 11:27 AM ET | Delete
Not sure how much you actually know about hockey my friend, but Zhamnov was a smart, two way centre. He was very capable at face offs, killing penalties, and chipped in 60-70 points a season. While he was somewhat injury plagued, he certainly was never a risky signing, compared to Zherdev. Besides Zherdev isn't even a centre! A little research next time.
July 29, 2011 11:38 AM ET | Delete
Z is an odd Duck. Yes Lavy
July 29, 2011 11:48 AM ET | Delete
Not much research done here. First he is a RW. Second he had some time on the first line with Richards, then the rest of the year was on the third line with Giroux and JVR not your typical 3rd line players. Jets fans you don't want this guy he won't skate back and stays out on the ice way too long. His best games were after being benched for a few games then he would tail off and be benched again.
July 29, 2011 11:55 AM ET | Delete
As a Rangers fan I loved Zherdev....at first. He did tend to get mopey and his effort level was sporadic. If you're looking to try to catch lightning in a bottle then please be my guest. Maybe the Jets get lucky. It's no coincidence that several coaches in three different cities have benched him though.
July 29, 2011 1:45 PM ET | Delete
as long as Winnipeg has limos, this should work
July 29, 2011 3:19 PM ET | Delete
I'm sure he could play the position. Antropov is not really a center either but can play the position. The guys got the play making ability to be a center. That 3rd line in Philly was a big waste of talent no wonder moral is horrible on that team.
July 29, 2011 3:21 PM ET | Delete
I'd take Zherdev any day before an aging Pronger who is a cancer in the room. There is a reason the ducks got rid of him.
July 29, 2011 4:00 PM ET | Delete
duckyjets, you might be the most idiotic person I've ever run into on this website... You can't possibly be serious with that comment. If so, I feel bad for anybody who watches hockey with you. You obviously know nothing about hockey if you would take Zherdev over Pronger. Pronger a cancer.. REALLY? Maybe this is why Winnipeg hasn't had a team in years...
July 29, 2011 4:27 PM ET | Delete
Pronger won a cup with the ducks......
July 29, 2011 5:52 PM ET | Delete
Zherdev played under Renney in NY prior to Tortorella remember, and he's not exactly a tough coach. The guy had tons of talent every 5th Friday, every 2nd quarter moon and during home games that followed a holiday. He has no work ethic, an over inflated ego... wow I really am just wasting my time. This is a terrible blog. I really hope someone with some hockey sense steps up to cover the Jets. They deserve better.
July 29, 2011 6:36 PM ET | Delete
Yeah, this whole article in it's entirety pretty much blows. You'd think after a guy being on 3 different teams and having the SAME issues would finally give people the hint, but oh well. I'd love to see the Jets sign Zherdev, he would tear that whole team apart and be nothing but a cancer in the locker room.
July 29, 2011 8:02 PM ET | Delete
Zherdev over Pronger? bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha
July 29, 2011 11:09 PM ET | Delete
ZHERDEV OVER PRONGER! I'm sorry Jet's fans deserve better blogging than this. Pronger is not Mr. nice guy, but has won a norris, a hart, olympic gold, and has taken three different teams to Stanley cup finals, winning once. He practicaly put the entire Edmonton team on his back in 06'. Good thing you aren't running the Jets.
July 30, 2011 1:06 PM ET | Delete
I thought reading that Zherdev could play center well, (the most defensively responsible forward position on the ice) was the dumbest comment in this idiotic post. Then I read you would rather have Zherdev over Pronger on your team and realized that I could find more intelligent drivel inside of my toilet bowl.
July 30, 2011 4:54 PM ET | Delete
Yeah he was also traded from Anaheim with term left on his deal. There is a reason he got turfed from Anaheim. Why trade the guy for draft picks when he still wanted to be part of the team. Don't tell me it was for cap space because you don't move a guy like pronger to free up cap space.He left because the young guys didn't see eye to eye with him and the same thing happened in Philly.
July 30, 2011 4:59 PM ET | Delete
Ask Oilers what they think of Pronger lol...
July 30, 2011 5:01 PM ET | Delete
I've done exactly what I wanted to with this post piss off a lot of Rangers and Philly fans lol....
August 1, 2011 8:58 AM ET | Delete
Zherdev is a lot of fun to watch during the brief moments that he wants to play. Other than that he's a waste.The comments about Pronger are just stupid.
August 2, 2011 7:01 PM ET | Delete
August 3, 2011 8:11 PM ET | Delete
Dude,watch a game, sure, he has skill... but he only uses it 10% of the time, the other 90%.. he just tanks.
August 4, 2011 5:29 AM ET | Delete
Duckyjets is a dork aha and really must hate New York and Philly fans.....
August 4, 2011 8:49 PM ET | Delete
Zherdev to KHL E5 hahahahahahahahahahaha... Winnipeg missed the boat! What a shame.
August 21, 2011 10:49 PM ET | Delete
You really don't know what you're talking about when it comes to Zherdev.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to leave a comment.