Official Release on Zherdev

Here's the official word on Zherdev:
New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has exercised its right to walk away from the arbitrator’s award to Nikolai Zherdev, thereby allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.

“With the additions we've been able to make this summer, we feel we've been able to add scoring and offense from the wing position,” stated Sather.  “Following the arbitration process and subsequent award given, we feel it is in our best interest to walk away and continue to explore all available options to improve our roster.”

Zherdev, 24, appeared in 82 games with the Rangers last season, registering 23 goals and 35 assists for 58 points, along with 39 penalty minutes.  He was held scoreless in seven playoff contests.

The 6-2, 203-pounder has skated in 365 regular season contests with the Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets, recording 99 goals and 140 assists for 239 points, along with 203 penalty minutes.  The Kiev, Ukraine native was originally Columbus’ first round choice, fourth overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Comments

[wildplaces]

Disappointing - #3-4 defensemen such as Tyutin are more difficult to come by than tempremental wings...Sather's long view on this was as close as his own nose! What a waste of talent!

[Willie]

Watch him go to Pittsburgh and become a star...like a couple of other guys that were just like him.

[WILL]

anything in return would be better than nothing but unfortunately it looks like we're getting nothing:( I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY! Could he have wanted a no trade clause? Why would Sather just let him walk???? I agree that he's not worth 3.9 but someone will be willing to pay him that for 1 year via trade! Look at Redden, he bamboozled Sather for 8 mil this year...how do you get nothing in return and Columbus keeps Tutyn...its just not right...sorry I'm a long time Rangers fan but I'd be nice to have some kind of explanation.

[WILL]

btw no one seems to remember morris for Prucha and Dawes...or sjostrom for 850k in calgary or mara 1.6 mil...its like Sather gets Gaborik = Sather plus 1...please stay healthy, morris, sjo, mara,and oh yea orr for 1 mil! = Sather minus 4...
4 -1 = -3 off season
oh and thanks for Brasher at 1.4 mil...-10
wtf is sather doing
getting rid of gomez for Gaborik was the one brilliant move and probably the hardest won to pull off...how do you let all these role players go for so cheap, sign them and trade them later if you want...E.G BETTS?

[Original 6]

The Rangers can always try to resign Zherdev at a lower salary than the 3.9/year he was awarded by an arbitrator. The Rangers might be gambling that he does not receive an offer close to 3.9. In this market this gamble might pay off.

[Dave]

No way a head case like Zherdev agrees to take less with the Rangers. Less, maybe. But not here.

[Johnny5]

Zherdev is not worth the $3.9. He is like a magician... he disappears so easily. As for the fourth liners that were let go, they can all be had from the minors. This team has so many players in the minors that are fighting for a chance and for once they will have it. I'd love to see some youngsters make it on this team from our farm team even if it means Hartford suffers for it.

[Marco]

WE Will all forget about zherdev once heatly get here ... lets go rangers !!!

[T_Bird]

That's Sather's method- shopping at the "Scratch and Dent" sales, Lindros, Bure, Kamensky, Lyashenko, Ulanov, Gusarov, Toms, Ciger, Oliwa, Berard, Tibbets, Mironov, Poti, Taffe, Ozolinch, Isbister, Fedorov, Hossa, Redden, Zherdev- (how many other projects?) and when the player doesn't turn out, he's back at the next sale. His problem is, he's paying premium prices for damaged players.

I see that MSG is spun off to be it's own business. Can this mean a sale? Dolan- sell it! Please. You're killing the Rangers and Knicks. If you love them, let them go...

And Fire Sather before you sell.