Zherdev Excited for NHL Return
After leaving the National Hockey League to play in the Kontinental Hockey League, Nikolai Zherdev is returning to the United States, and this time he has something to prove.
Zherdev signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 9 and wants to make the best of his second NHL stint.
"I'm very happy to be back in the NHL," Zherdev said via Russian translator Alexander Tyjnych. "I had some difficulty last season signing a contract in the NHL and I made the decision to stay one season in Russia. But basically my goal is to come to the NHL and be one of the best players, and play every night, and show everybody I'm ready. It's a new team, new teammates, new coach, new organization, new city, but I'm a hockey player. I still have my tools and I like to show to everybody I'm still a good hockey player."
Success for Blue Jackets, Rangers
Zherdev initially began his NHL career with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected him with the fourth pick of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. In his second season with the Blue Jackets, Zherdev had an impressive 27 goals and 54 points. The year after that, 2006-07, Zherdev scored 26 goals and improved his point total to a career-high 61.
After his successful tenure for the Blue Jackets, Zherdev was traded to the New York Rangers. There he managed a team-best 23 goals. The Rangers and Zherdev then clashed heads over his contract, and an arbitrator eventually granted Zherdev a $3.9 million salary for 2009-10. The Rangers opted out, and allowed Zherdev to enter free agency. Oddly, no NHL teams made good enough offers for the developing star and he decided to spend a season abroad playing for the KHL’s Atlant Moscow.
In 52 games for Atlant, Zherdev maintained his form and had 13 goals and 39 points. He also developed a more physical style of play and even led the team with 79 penalty minutes.
Still developing as a player
Zherdev’s true gifts come in the form of power-plays. The Flyers would be foolish to not use a player with 29 power-play goals and 78 points on power-plays in five seasons heavily during their advantages.
Zherdev has also been addressing the point of his game most often criticized: defence.
According to Zherdev: "I have skills, good puck control and hockey sense. It would probably would be good for me, and if coach [Peter Laviolette] makes the decision, to play on the power play. I'm changing my style and trying to play more defensive zone. I think, right now, I'm two-way player. Before, I was probably more forward ... playing more of the attacking zone. The last couple seasons, I've been more defensive zone, too."
If Zherdev’s defensive abilities have truly improved, he would be an important well-rounded player for the Flyers. Also, if Zherdev’s defence is now on par, it could spell the end between the long-term relationship between the Flyers and Simon Gagne.
Both players play left wing, and the Flyers have recently asked Gagne to waive his no-trade clause. If Zherdev now has the same two-way forward abilities that Gagne is renowned for, Gagne’s presence on the Flyers becomes even more redundant. However, it’s not certain that Zherdev is quite ready to take over Gagne’s top-line role.
More likely, Zherdev will start the season playing on the third-line with Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk. Given Zherdev’s ‘old’ style, this line would be the logical decision due to its high offensive potency, but if Zherdev shows his defensive abilities in training camp than the top-line is still a possibility.
Either way, the match is a good one. Zherdev wants to prove he is worthy of top-level salaries in the NHL and the Flyers want to prove their Stanley Cup Finals run wasn’t a lucky fluke. Together Zherdev and the Flyers are fully capable of silencing all of their critics.
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