What to Do with Nik Zherdev?

By Glen Miller

The hour is nearly upon us; the hour in which we learn how much Glen Sather values Nik Zherdev. Now that an arbitrator has awarded Zherdev a $3.9 million salary for next season, Sather has three options open to him: he can accept the arbitration award and sign Zherdev for that salary; he can just simply walk away thus allowing Zherdev to become an UFA; or he can accept the award and then deal Zherdev at some point for useful assets.

As is typically the case in NHL arbitration cases, the arbitrator awarded an amount which is practically the mid-point of Zherdev’s requested $4.75 million and the Rangers offer of $3 million as reported by the New York Post. The Rangers had a tough enough time debating whether or not to qualify Zherdev for $3.25 million and their arbitration offer of $3 million shows about how much they value Nik’s on-ice contributions. It would seem to make sense that the Rangers would walk away from the $3.9 million award since they already were undecided about offering him the $3.25 million qualifier. However, I don’t think it’s that easy.

There aren’t many top 6 forwards available at this point either via free agency or trade. The ones that are (Heatley, Tanguay, and Kessel) all either make or are asking for salaries in excess of $4 or $5 million annually for the next several seasons. Zherdev comes with a short term commitment (1 year) and a salary below the asking price of the free agents or trade targets. Additionally, the Rangers would have to sacrifice assets to any club with which they made a deal whereas by accepting the arbitration award the Rangers won’t have to sacrifice any roster players or draft picks.

I’ve posted a blog previously which highlighted Zherdev’s numbers and have made the argument that he may well be worth keeping given his relative youth and upside. He led the team in scoring and was second in goals scored last season all at the tender age of 24. With the addition of Gaborik either as a line mate or as someone that the other team matches their best defensive players against, it is reasonable to believe Zherdev’s best may be before him. Sure he didn’t seem to fit in well with new coach John Tortorella for the 20 or so games after Tom Renney was fired but who is to say that Zherdev won’t come to camp with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose? If he doesn’t the Rangers could always try to swap him for a draft pick or a player that can help them reach the playoffs at the trade deadline.

Eklund has already heard rumors that Dany Heatley’s name is in play in regards to a trade to the Rangers. According to his sources, Brandon Dubinsky would not have to be included in the package. I’m not sure how the Rangers could pull off this move while meeting Sens’ GM Bryan Murray’s asking price and at the same time moving enough salary cap space to stay under the cap. Murray has already referred to a Rangers offer of a package built around Zherdev and Rozsival to be “insulting”. Personally I think Murray needs to shut up and move the dude. At this point he is going to be a huge distraction. At least if he had accepted the offer of Zherdev and Rozsival he would have gotten a top 6 forward and a puck moving blue liner. Now he may end up with egg on his face if he can’t convince Montreal to facilitate a trade which would send Heatley to San Jose. But that may be a blog for another day.

Essentially, any way you look at it, it makes more sense to me for the Rangers to commit to the one year deal for $3.9 million than for them to pursue another top six forward either via trade of free agency. The Rangers are already tight against the cap and if the commit to any more long term deals then they are going to have trouble next season re-signing pending RFA Defensemen Marc Staal and Dan Girardi.