Nikolay Zherdev

Nikolai Zherdev (; born November 5, 1984) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger.

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 Kyiv, Ukraine, Zherdev began playing hockey at the age of four. 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. Zherdev played in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with his youth team from Kyiv. While playing in the tournament, 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. 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.

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.

Zherdev spent the entire 2002–03 season with CSKA. He left for the NHL halfway through the 2003–04 season. He would, however, return to the Russian club during the 2004–05 NHL lockout.

Columbus Blue Jackets Zherdev with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008Zherdev 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. 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. Following the meeting, Zherdev rediscovered success on the ice.

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.

New York Rangers

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. 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. 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.

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. This NHL stint would last 56 games through one season as Zherdev did not garner the trust of Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette due to what the coach saw as lackadaisical effort and selfish play. For the majority of the season, Zherdev received limited ice time while playing the fourth line with very offensively limited linemates and rarely saw any power play time. Despite the lack of opportunities, Zherdev would manage a productive 16 goals, which included his 100th NHL goal. After the season the Flyers did not attempt to sign him to a contract extension.

Back to KHL Following the 2010–11 season, Zherdev returned to Atlant Moscow Oblast. In the 2012–13, he was announced as the team Captain. He played in 39 games registering an impressive 37 points before he was traded to Ak Bars Kazan on January 15, 2013, to complete the season.

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. 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. 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.

He was released from his contract with Lev and on September 24, 2013, he was signed to a one-year contract with HC Spartak Moscow. After failing to score a goal in 16 games with the club, he was released by the team in mid-November before accepting a short-term deal with HC Severstal.

On July 14, 2014, Zherdev continued his journeyman career, in agreeing to a one-year contract with HC Dynamo Moscow for the 2014–15 season.

In August 2017, Zherdev signed a one-year contract with Russian KHL team Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. He played two games for Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk before leaving the team for Latvian KHL team Dinamo Riga. In January 2018, the contract was terminated by mutual agreement. Zherdev did not play during the 2020–21 season.

For the 2021–22 season, Zherdev signed a one-year contract with the Bratislava Capitals of the ICE Hockey League. After the successive deaths of a Bratislava player Boris Sádecký and the team's vice president, the club dissolved and did not play for the remainder of the season. Zherdev then moved to Merano of the Alps Hockey League; his departure from the team was announced in July 2022. Zherdev began the 2022–23 season playing for Yunost Minsk of the Belarusian Extraleague. In October 2022, Zherdev moved to Dinamo-Molodechno, also of the Belarusian Extraleague. For the 2023–24 season, Zherdev signed to Alleghe Hockey of the Italian Hockey League.

International play 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 life Zherdev is fluent in Ukrainian and Russian, and can speak limited English. In 2023 he married Maria Kirilenko. In November 2024, the couple had a daughter.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1999–2000 Elemash–2 Elektrostal RUS.3 211071726 70000 2000–01 Elemash Elektrostal RUS.2 18681412 ————— 2001–02 Elemash–2 Elektrostal RUS.3 11014 ————— 2001–02 Elemash Elektrostal RUS.2 5313152862 ————— 2002–03 CSKA Moscow RSL 4412122434 ————— 2003–04 CSKA Moscow RSL 2022414 ————— 2003–04 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 5713213454 ————— 2004–05 CSKA Moscow RSL 5119214062 ————— 2005–06 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 7327275450 ————— 2005–06 Syracuse Crunch AHL 21010 ————— 2006–07 Khimik Moscow Oblast RSL 824610 ————— 2006–07 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 7110223226 ————— 2007–08 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 8226356134 ————— 2008–09 New York Rangers NHL 8223355839 70002 2009–10 Atlant Moscow Oblast KHL 5213263979 40114 2010–11 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 561662222 81232 2011–12 Atlant Moscow Oblast KHL 359162960 40114 2012–13 Atlant Moscow Oblast KHL 3913243720 ————— 2012–13 Ak Bars Kazan KHL 112469 182680 2013–14 Spartak Moscow KHL 160772 ————— 2013–14 Severstal Cherepovets KHL 1733626 ————— 2014–15 Dynamo Moscow KHL 476162238 20112 2015–16 HC Sochi KHL 2634712 ————— 2015–16 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod KHL 23410148 1132520 2016–17 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod KHL 548212924 30000 2017–18 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk KHL 20116 ————— 2017–18 Dinamo Riga KHL 183254 ————— 2018–19 Did not play 2019–20 HC Ryazan VHL 90220 ————— 2020–21 Did not play 2021–22 Bratislava Capitals ICEHL 121672 ————— RSL totals 123353974120 ————— NHL totals 421115146261225 151234 KHL totals 35871142213302 508111956

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2002 Russia U17 6th 5 1 4 5 6 2002 Russia WJC18 8 6 5 11 22 2003 Russia WJC 6 0 1 1 2 2009 Russia WC 3 0 1 1 0 2012 Russia WC 10 2 4 6 2 Junior totals 19 7 10 17 30 Senior totals 13 2 5 7 2

Awards and achievements 2003–04: Played in the NHL YoungStars Game