Zherdev set at $3.9 million

The results of Nikolai Zherdev's arbitration hearing on Friday are in: the Rangers found out today that the arbitrator has set the one-year contract at $3.9 million. Of course, the Rangers, who qualified the mercurial - and often disinterested - Zherdev at $3.25 million have every right to walk away from the ruling, which would make Zherdev an unrestricted free agent just about a year after he was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a package that included defenseman Fedor Tyutin.

The Rangers have 48 hours to decide. Most likely, their decision on the matter was made in advance. That being, they have no interest in spending $3.9 million for Zherdev, though they could agree to the contract, then trade him to get value back for what, in theory, should be a valuable commodity around the NHL - a wing with scoring potential.

Zherdev was reportedly seeking a contract worth $4.5 million, or thereabouts.

Comments

[Anthony]

Am I crazy, or is Z worth one more year at $3.9? A first line featuring Gaborik & second line featuring Zherdev would give other coaches pause when line matching. And I'd rather have another legit scoring threat on the bench.

If he and Torts can't make it work this year, then we can let him skip off to the KHL or wherever else.

Just hate letting him walk altogether after losing Toots to Columbus.

[TK]

I don't think the Rangers have room for him and Dubi unless they dump someone else. Zherdev isn't a 4 million dollar player - I rather would've kept Antopov.

[NYR Blogger]

I really hope Slats takes the contract and then trades Zherdev. I would be disappointed if we just walked away and didn't get anything for him.

[Mike]

That's a steal IMO. You keep him at that cost for this season.

[Mark]

I'm pretty sure Sather should accept the deal, and just keep offering him in trades. Teams don't have to be under the cap until I think opening night so if Sather can't trade him by opening night you put him on waivers, and lose him for free 2 months from now, but to lose him for free now doesn't really make sense to me.

[Keith]

Many good comments above. I can almost entertain ideas of keeping him around for scoring's sae but I just don't think he's worth 4 mill-no way. I agree with TK as usual-I wouldve kept Antropov instead. This is just a formality I hope and they let him walk. Enough is enough-Torts doesn't want him anyway

[Godwin]

In my opinion, I think we should re-sign Zherdev for one year for the 3.9 mm. What do we have to lose out of it? We have the cap room (including signing Dubinsky). Zherdev did well for his first year at MSG. It was his first playoff appearance so his disappearance at the big stage is allowable in my eyes. I think it would be bad to walk away from this empty handed.

By the way - why is Dubinsky still un-signed? Does anyone have the inside scoop on the reason? Is it because they wanted to see how much they would give Zherdev first?

[Chris]

Sign him then trade him, I believe he has decent value even tho we've all been bashing him. He had some of the best numbers on the Rangers.

A trade with Phoenix is in the cards:

Zherdev/Roszival/Parenteau/Sauer/Kundratek
FOR
Doan/Hanzal/Yandle or 3rd or 4th Rd Pk.

THEN
Ship the Pick received and our 3rd or 4th Pk to Carolina ( 2 Pks or a Pk and Yandle )
FOR
Anton Babchuk ( RFA resigned )
OR TO ATLANTA
FOR
Boris Valabik ( resigned )

Doan-Dubinsky-Gaborik
Higgins-Drury-Kotalik
Avery-Hanzal-Lisin
Brashear/Byers-Anisimov-Boyle

Staal-Babchuk
Redden-Girardi
Del Zotto-Potter

DEFENSE OPTIONS:
F/A D-Men Avail

Denis Seidenberg ( $1,200,000 ) UFA
Alex Semenov ( $650,000 ) UFA
Matt Lashoff ( $850,000 ) RFA Trade for
rights
...holla back kids

[Chris]

We need a Big Man on Defense...Tampa has a crap-load of D-men signed to Pro Contracts...( 9 to be exact ), there is no chance they will carry all 9, they will need to make a few avail....Matt Lashoff would be ideal and is probably expendable with the recent resigning of Smaby and addition of Hedman and Ohlund. They have an abundance.
Possibly a 4th or 3rd Rd Pk and one of our D- Prospects to land him for our D- Now. I say make the move Slats.

[Bri]

I'm sure the leafs would give up Lee Stempniak a NY state native for Zherdev. He would fit Torts style

[Dan LD]

I don't think Zherdev is worthy anything near 4.5 mil after his complete disappearing act in the playoffs. He underperformed during the regular season, showing good hands but lacking any desire to crash the net.

[CP]

I guess I am going to have to change my handle from "Chris" to something else since someone else has used it above! Thankfully, (and no offense) I don't say "crap-load" in my writings, so hopefully, people can tell the difference.

I agree with Anthony that Z does deserve another year, and I think the arbitration hearing was fair to both sides. I think everyone looked at him to be a saviour for the Rangers, when in fact, he was only a few years into the league and still had a lot of room to mature. Let me stress the words "a lot", too.

I do think, though, if we sign Zherdev, Torts might be able to work out a deal with the Lighning, if they don't sign Tanguay. Maybe get someone like Artyukhin to play aside Anisimov...

[CP]

I also want to make the point that Zherdev was tied for the team lead in points with Gomez, two ahead of Drury, and made less than half of what both of them made; so I think a $650k raise isn't as bad as people make it seem...

[Rogan]

I was going to say, what got in to Chris this morning. Sorry CP, it should have simply dawned on me that it wasn't you.

I have to think there's something more to not signing him than just what we saw. Torts really doesn't like him -- which is strange, because there were guys on that team to be just as angry about, and they got a pass.

[Rogan]

CP - can't we just keep calling you Chris, and hope the other one goes away?

[CP (Chris)]

Yeah, I agree, Rogan. Something must have been said (I think Sam and Joe confirmed) andthe two must have had some words at some point. I agree that Torts could have had the same attitude directed at some other players on the team, too,especially the defensemen; but then again, Torts is offensive-minded.

I first saw that post and thought to myself, "did I drink heavily last night and post some kind of pipe-dream for the Rangers??" Haha. Yeah, keep calling me Chris. I'll put it in parentheses. I can't put Chris P. because of the obvious similiarity to "crispy."

[LI Joe]

cp - can never compare a salary made through total free agency vs those from 1st few yrs of a playewrs career including that gained in restricted status. so even though the others are somewhat overpaid a restricted free agent can't bring that into arbitration discussions.

i didn't even bother to read what the other chris wrote since it took long and 3 way deals and the like almost never happen. there were too many moving pieces to pay attention to it

[KingHenk30]

Am I the only one that has no problem with Zherdev going to the KHL?? If the Rangers choose not to sign him, that is the first place i would want him to go so we dont ever have to see him again. The main point is that the Rangers are in desperate need of defense right now and signing Zherdev would make that much less money in an already tight cap room and the Rangers still have to sign Dubinsky. My suggestion is to look to trade Zherdev for a defenseman who costs around $1.5 million a year. This would then leave enough space to sign Dubinsky and also have another experienced defenseman. If the Rangers cannot make a trade then the should let him go and then look to sign a UFA defenseman such as Marc-Andre Bergeron or Chris Celios or another cheap veteran scorer like Shanahan or Tanguay. Althouh i did like the suggestion that involved Shane Doan that Godwin had proposed. It makes sense and the Rangers would be getting another soild scorer and a good defenseman.

[CP (Chris)]

LI Joe, I agree, and I'm not suggesting that as a bargaining technique, but relatively, he had leverage and merit to bargain based on his points. If he didn't get somewhere in the $3.9 ballpark, he would have received it from another team as a UFA; even though, he was apparently seeking well above that amount. I only made the comparison to Drury and Gomez to point out the value Z has at such a lesser amount.

[onetimer]

I don't think Rozival is going anywhere. How about Del Zotto, a signed Zherdev, and a #1 pick for Heatley and Christoph Schubert?

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