Nikolay Zherdev

Nikolay Zherdev Николай Жердев
Born	(1984-11-05) November 5, 1984 Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight	203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	4th overall, 2003 Columbus Blue Jackets
Playing career	2002–present

Mykola Olehovych "Nikolay" Zherdev (Ukrainian: Микола Олегович Жердев; born November 5, 1984) is a Ukrainian-Russian^[1][2] professional ice hockey right winger who is currently playing for Severstal Cherepovets^[3] of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers.

Playing career

Early career

Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Zherdev began playing hockey at the age of four.^[4] He began his training with the Sokil Kyiv junior hockey affiliate. Due to complications with organizing a team for his age group, he was pushed to play a year ahead with the 1983 born players; a group which included fellow future Ukrainian NHLer Anton Babchuk. While participating in an overseas peewee tournament in Quebec, Canada, Zherdev's team found itself competing against a team from Elektrostal, Russia. The rival team's coach, Ravil Iskhakov, took note of both Zherdev and Babchuk, and invited the pair to further their development with the Elemash Elektrostal hockey club of the Russian Major League, to which they accepted together.^[5] The desire to play at a higher level came at a price: his nationality. In order to play in Russia, he would be forced to apply for Russian citizenship.^[6]

CSKA Moscow

As his game progressed and professional teams began to take notice, Elektrostal received offers from the likes of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Ak Bars Kazan, and CSKA Moscow for Zherdev's services. He would accept an invitation for Elektrostal to loan him to the latter team, CSKA, citing a desire to train under esteemed coach Viktor Tikhonov.

Following being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Zherdev spent the entire 2002–03 season with CSKA, but in a controversial decision, he left for the NHL half way through the 2003–04 season. He would, however, return to the Russian club during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, making peace.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Zherdev was drafted by Columbus in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the fourth overall pick. At the time, Columbus general manager Doug MacLean stated that the team had Zherdev ranked number one on their draft list.

Zherdev with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008

The 2005–06 NHL season was a breakout year for Zherdev, who scored 27 goals and notched 27 assists in 73 games. He was the Blue Jackets' most potent offensive threat while Rick Nash recuperated from injury, and played most of the season on the team's first line.

The 2006–07 NHL season was a low point for Zherdev, as he struggled to score consistently and frequently clashed with the Jackets' coaching staff, leading to repeated rumors that he might be traded before the 2007–08 NHL season began. In response, Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson and then-coach Ken Hitchcock met Zherdev in a "clean-the-slate" meeting.^[7] Following the meeting, Zherdev rediscovered success on the ice.^[8]

Contract dispute

Contract negotiations with Blue Jackets management following the 2005–06 season became acrimonious. Zherdev threatened to remain in Russia for the season unless his demands were met, while Columbus insisted that Zherdev's salary demands were not commensurate with his accomplishments. On September 28, 2006, the parties finally agreed to a $7.5 million, three-year contract.^[9]

New York Rangers

Zherdev with the Rangers in 2009

On July 2, 2008, Zherdev was traded by the Blue Jackets along with Dan Fritsche to the New York Rangers for defencemen Fedor Tyutin and Christian Bäckman.^[10] In his first season with the Rangers, Zherdev tied for the team lead in points with Scott Gomez, scoring 58 points.

As a restricted free agent, Zherdev was tendered a qualifying offer of $3.25 million by the Rangers before the start of the 2009 free agency period so the team could retain his rights as the two sides negotiate.^[11] He had been rumored to be potentially signing with Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Kontinental Hockey League, of whom he formerly played with in 2006–07.^[12] Zherdev was awarded $3.9 million (USD) in arbitration, however, the New York Rangers chose to let Zherdev go.

KHL

The aforementioned walkaway made Zherdev an unrestricted free agent. Zherdev signed on September 15, 2009 a one-year contract for Atlant Moscow Oblast.^[13]

NHL return

On July 9, 2010, Zherdev signed a one-year deal for $2 million with the Philadelphia Flyers, setting up his return to the NHL.^[14] With the Flyers, Zherdev scored his one hundredth career goal. He notably scored the game-winning goal in Game 2 against the Buffalo Sabres, in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Back to KHL

Following the 2010-11 season, Zherdev returned to Atlant Moscow Oblast. In 2012-13, he became the team captain.

After signing a one-year deal with HC Lev Praha in July 2013, Zherdev celebrated at the Barvikha Luxury Village hotel in Moscow where things turned violent, according to a Russian news report.^[15] Zherdev allegedly initiated a bar brawl at the hotel before crashing his Bentley Continental GT, which was later vandalized by locals who were outraged with his behaviour and scratched the words "scum", "bastard", and others into the vehicle's paint with nails.^[16] Damage to the vehicle was allegedly valued at $30,000. Barvikha Luxury Village hotel staff also claimed Zherdev spent nights there with various women, prompting his wife, Eugenia, to file for divorce.^[15] Zherdev also lost his passport as a result of the incident, meaning that he could not fly to his new team's training camp in Finland.^[17]

On September 24th, 2013 Zherdev signed a 1-year contract with HC Spartak Moscow.^[18] but was released by the team by mid-November after failing to score a goal in 16 games with the club.

International play

Zherdev representing Russia in 2012
Medal record
Competitor for Russia
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
Gold	2012 Helsinki	Ice hockey
Gold	2009 Switzerland	Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold	2003 Canada	Ice hockey
World Under-18 Championships
Silver	2002 Slovakia	Ice hockey

Nikolai Zherdev represented Russia at the 2002 U-18 World Junior Championships, helping that country to a silver medal. He finished the tournament with 6 goals, 5 assists, 11 points in 8 games (third best on his team, behind only Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin).

Zherdev also played at the 2003 U-20 World Junior Championships, registering only one assist in six games, playing a minor role in Russia's quest for the gold medal.

He was named captain of Team Russia for the 2004 World Juniors, but did not play after departing for the NHL.

Personal

Zherdev is fluent in Ukrainian and Russian, and can speak limited English.^[19] His family lives in Kiev.

Awards and achievements

• 2003–04: Played in the NHL YoungStars Game

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Place		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002	Russia	U18	2 !		8	6	5	11	22
2003	Russia	WJC	1 !		6	0	1	1	2
Junior int'l totals					14	6	6	12	24
2009	Russia	WC	1 !		3	0	1	1	0
2012	Russia	WC	1 !		10	2	4	6	2
Senior int'l totals					13	2	5	7	2

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nikolai Zherdev.

• Nikolay Zherdev's career statistics at EliteProspects.com
• Nikolay Zherdev's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Nikolay Zherdev at Hockey-Reference.com
• Nikolay Zherdev's player profile at NHL.com
• RussianProspects.com Nikolai Zherdev Player Profile