UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE
by Ihor Stelmach
The Nikolai Zherdev saga
Act I (August 2003)
It looked highly unlikely that Kyiv-born Nikolai Zherdev, a highly skilled left-winger would play for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season. The fourth-overall pick in the 2003 NHL amateur draft signed a three-year contract with the Blue Jackets, and the club paid the required $100,000 transfer fee to the International Ice Hockey Federation. In some official respects, this made him a free man.
However, Zherdev's Russian Central Army team saw the situation quite differently. They insisted Zherdev stay, willing to force the issue much like they did with Russian draftees Stanislav Chistov of Anaheim and Alexander Svitov of Tampa Bay. Both of these players were forced to spend another year in the army.
"I don't anticipate him being at training camp," Blue Jackets assistant GM Jim Clark said back in September. The Blue Jackets were being careful not to lose favor with Central Army executives, as they have four other prospects on the team.
Act II (September 2003)
One hurdle down and one hurdle to go. The first hurdle in making certain Zherdev wears a Blue Jackets sweater in 2003-2004 was cleared in August by signing him to a three-year deal that could top $11 million if Zherdev hits every incentive.
The hurdle to go is for the Blue Jackets and Zherdev's agent to negotiate a transfer fee releasing him from the remaining year of his contract with Central Army in the Russian League. Columbus General Manager Doug MacLean believed Zherdev was worth the effort.
"I've seen him play probably six times," MacLean said. "You always hate to put pressure on a kid, but I think he has a chance to be a really special player."
As the season began in early October, there was still no sign of Zherdev. Negotiations with Russia's CSKA Central Army were unsuccessful, so the Blue Jackets decided to involve the NHL and IIHF. "I want him here," said GM MacLean.
Act III (November 2003)
Resolute with a deep breath and even deeper convictions, Zherdev decided to push the issue that has been slowly simmering the past several months. Desperate to play in the NHL, while also desperately wanted by the club selecting him fourth over all in the last entry draft, it was time for some daring actions. Time to take matters into his own hands.
Signing a contract and paying the IIHF transfer fee by August 15, 2003, was obviously not enough. Still there was no done deal.
The prevalent fear was any notion of Zherdev heading for North American hockey would have landed him in the Soviet army, à la Chistov and Svitov. Both players saw the start of their NHL careers delayed by military service.
Even delicate negotiations of the face-to-face variety between the Blue Jackets with CSKA officials in Moscow achieved very little. (Now) Coach-GM MacLean asked the NHL and IIHF to intervene. Even then, poor Zherdev remained stuck with no documentation to prove he was part of the military.
On November 30, 2003, Zherdev made a move to the West, solely on his own, seemingly unbeknownst to Central Army. Feeling he was being unfairly punished by the Red Army team because of his desire to play in the NHL, his ice time had greatly diminished.
"It takes real courage, guys," said Sasha Tyjnych, a former Central Army goaltender and one of Zherdev's agents. "It was 7:30 in the morning (November 30) when he called me. He said 'I went to practice, they put me on the fourth line. So I go to the (club) president's office and I tell him that's it. I'm not playing any more for CSKA Moscow."
"Then he said to me: 'I'd like to try (the NHL).' With that, his travels to a new country began."
Zherdev hurried to the airport, where he claimed a ticket that had been left in his name by the Blue Jackets for the past several weeks. On December 2, 2003, after clearing customs in Ottawa, he made his NHL debut against Anaheim. He played 11 minutes on a line with youngsters Manny Malhotra and Kent McDonell.
"I was a little tired, a little nervous," said Zherdev through an interpreter. "It is good to get it over with."
However, in the eyes of Central Army's coach, the legendary Viktor Tikhonov, the case was not yet over.
"To begin with, Zherdev fled his team and, secondly, he flew from his army obligations," Tikhonov told Moscow's Sport-Express newspaper.
There were indications in early December that NHL Executive Vice-President Bill Daly was planning to convene all parties via teleconference to settle this matter.
Act IV (December, 2003)
The operative word in the next phase of the saga is patience. As in what the Blue Jackets begin to preach with Zherdev, now that their top draft pick has arrived in the NHL. A skill level described as wondrous will take some time to get used to living and playing in a new country, not to mention adapting to a new culture and all new teammates.
"We wanted to get him in there and get his first game out of his way," said Coach-GM MacLean. "But let's not get goofy here. Let's not get out of hand with our expectations. We have to be patient, and we will be."
Zherdev opened up on the team's third forward line with Malhotra at center and fellow rookie McDonell at right wing. He was projected for approximately 10 to 15 minutes of ice-time per game at the outset.
Act V (February 2004)
Zherdev will be free to continue playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets for the rest of this season and beyond, media outlets reported following an arbitration hearing in Zurich, Switzerland. The 19-year-old left-winger was the subject of a tug-of-war between the Blue Jackets and the Russian Pro League. The latter stubbornly claimed Zherdev left Moscow Central Army without permission and without proper transfer approval by the International Ice Hockey Federation.
Zherdev had actually begun the season playing in Russia, but left on November 30 to join the Blue Jackets. He had seven goals and 18 points in 42 NHL games immediately prior to the arbitration hearing.
Russian officials protested his relocation, saying he was still under contract to play with Central Army and had further military obligations. The Blue Jackets, supported by several NHL officials, argued before Swiss arbitrator Stephan Netzle in the Court of Arbitration for Sport that they met all requirements for Zherdev's legal transfer to Columbus.
Netzle was permitted up to 72 hours to come to a binding decision, which was announced on March 5. Prior to the formal announcement, Blue Jackets' management concentrated only on positive thoughts.
"We're very, very confident," said GM MacLean, who had assumed and relinquished coaching responsibilities in Columbus this season.
Arbitrator Netzle ruled the Blue Jackets could retain the services of their valuable Ukrainian draft selection.
Epilogue (March 2004)
In a most dramatic, come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the playoff-bound Vancouver Canucks on March 21, Zherdev played his best game yet as a 19-year-old National Hockey League rookie. He assisted on two Columbus goals and tallied twice himself, giving him double-digit goals scored (10) and assists (17), totalling 27 points in only 50 games. His first ever four-point game gave Columbus its 21st win of the season (out of 75 games) - a remarkable achievement for an offensively challenged team. Zherdev's 10th career tally happened to be the Blue Jackets' fifth goal of the game - the game winner.
Zherdev, Nikolai
Left Wing
No. 13
Born November 5, 1984, in Kyiv
6-0, 175 lbs.
Shoots right
Selected by Columbus Blue Jackets in first round (fourth over all) in 2003
NHL entry draft.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
| 2000-2001 | Elemash | Russian 1 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 12 |
| 2001-2002 | Elemash | Russian 1 | 53 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 60 |
| 2002-2003 | HC CSKA Moscow | Russian | 44 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 34 |
(Quotes courtesy of Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline and The Hockey News.)
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 25, 2004, No. 17, Vol. LXXII
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