The curious case of Nik Zherdev
Back on July 9, when the Flyers officially inked Nik Zherdev to a one-year deal, if you could flash forward to December – what would you have expected?
The curious case of Nik Zherdev
Back on July 9, when the Flyers officially inked Nik Zherdev to a one-year deal, if you could flash forward to December – what would you have expected?
Let’s take a deeper look at his stats:
|
GP
|
G
|
A
|
P
|
+/-
|
PPG
|
GWG
|
Shots
|
Sh%
|
TOI
|
Hits
|
BkS
|
GvA
|
TkA
|
|
30
|
11
|
2
|
13
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+5
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0
|
0
|
73
|
15.1
|
12:04
|
18
|
5
|
9
|
9
|
Where does Zherdev rank on the Flyers in these stats?
Goals: tied for 4th
Shots: 6th
Shooting percentage: tied for 3rd
Time on ice: 4th least
Blocked shots: 2nd worst
Takeaways: 6th worst
Giveaways: 7th
There are a couple ways to look at Zherdev – with the glass half-full and the glass half-empty.
Glass half-full:
- Supremely talented goal-scorer
- Played with the 4th line for the bulk of the season
- Has seen little power play time
- Can be one of the Flyers’ top players when he is motivated
Glass half-empty:
- Doesn’t hanker to play defense
- Not physical
- Only at his best with talented players
- Inconsistent from shift to shift, game to game
- Can be invisible when not motivated
For the most part, though, Zherdev has been exactly as advertised in his previous stints in the NHL. This afternoon, Zherdev will remain in the lineup, on the Flyers’ hottest line with James van Riemsdyk and Jeff Carter for a change.
Zherdev enters today’s game having scored in back-to-back games (since his most recent healthy scratch last Saturday) for the first time all season.
And despite his drawbacks, Zherdev is on pace for a career-high with 27 goals. That’s pretty impressive considering his lack of a regular shift with talented players. The Flyers are one of only a handful of teams in the NHL with 5 players in double-digit goal scoring in mid-December.
He has been a healthy scratch for 3 games this year – and not for drawing the ire of coach Peter Laviolette, but rather because the Flyers may have the deepest crop of forwards in the NHL.
“I think he’s played [two] good games,” Laviolette said. “He came back much stronger [after sitting] than he played before.”
Laviolette has a penchant for players who play a north-south style of game on the ice, rather than an east-west game that can sometimes get you into trouble with too much fancy play. Zherdev has had to fine-tune his game to those standards, which are certainly much different than on the Olympic-sized ice in Russia’s KHL, where he spent last season.
Entering training camp, Laviolette often singled out Zherdev as the newcomer he was most excited to work with this season.
So, is this where Laviolette thought Zherdev would be at this point?
“I’m not sure I know the answer to that since I never had him and I don’t know him that well,” Laviolette said. “He has been stronger on the puck, with a little more of a ‘north’ mentality. He is trying to be physical.”
Now, just 8 games away from the halfway point in this marathon season, it’s hard to say that Zherdev has been a disappointment this season – given all that he’s had to put up with. Besides, a 27-goal season will cost you about $2 million in today’s NHL.
At the same time, Zherdev has shown the flashes of brilliance that made him the No. 4 overall pick way back in 2003. Even at 26, Zherdev remains a work in progress – but one that could pay dividends later in the season when teams hone in their focus on Mike Richards, Danny Briere, Claude Giroux and Carter.
For now, he has been who we thought he would be. And more here than anywhere else, where he would be counted on to be the main point producers, that may be just fine.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
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Frank, there have been rumblings that Nik actually has drawn the ire of Lavy and that has been why he has taken a seat. If he played up to his potential, there is no way in hell he would have sat out any games or played a second on the 4th line. That being said, I still think there is time for him to turn it around completely, and it starts with playing on Carter's line. Like you said he's only 2 million, so it hasn't been a bad move but I want to see a little more out of him because I know the talent is there.— robm0202- Zherdev has the luxury of playing against the opposing team's third line. That is helping him a lot. The depth of the Flyers is really a good fit for Zherdev. He has top line talent, but definitely does not have elite level desire. A couple of people on here have compared him to Hossa, or Gagne, which is ridiculous. Those players worked as hard without the puck, as they did with it. Carter-Zherdev-JVR is very intriguing to me, because those players are all so similar in their criticism. When they work, they are unstoppable, and when they sit back and expect the puck to come to them, they are invisible.— Hexy4GM
Zherdev puts two more past the goaltender today. Timely piece Mr. Seravalli!- ...the glass half empty characteristics are typical for anyone
...13 goals though are not— petemagoop - I'll start with I am one of you hence the reason I choose to read and write on this site but I have to say the moronic Flyer fans that bash this guy because "he's a typical lazy Russian" are a joke. Hey, it's not like the cup has been in Philly since '75. Most of you probably weren't even born yet. Yes, he does need to play with some talent, Crosby wouldn't be effective playing with Shelley, Betts (I love the guy) or Carcillo. Is he lazy...sure at times he is but he can score and makes this team even more difficult to play against than most teams the the Flyers have had in say the last 30+ years!— 67Flyer
"Not physical"....yes, and some players aren't going to be or need to be. They simply need to get their job done. Briere isn't physical, he's smaller and has to turn his back-side into every guy he checks. Who cares? Every player doesn't need to check a player through the boards, players like Zherdev, Briere, etc. are smart to conserve and save themselves for what they're paid to do: score goals and keep themselves healthy. We have enough bangers on this team.- PLus, Frank isn't really saying anything that already wasn't known about Zherdev. He's an enigma and has been for his entire career, they knew it when they signed him....it's a low-risk transaction and if he becomes a hazard to the team, they trade him to the next guy who wants to take the chance and have a wild card for the playoffs who might be able to bang a goal in when you need it. But, I'll say one thing about Zherdev: I didn't see him to ever fit in well on Columbus or the NYR like he seems to here, maybe he'll finally find who he really is and needs to be as a person and player with the Flyers? Or maybe he won't? But, the latter won't be a surprise because it's what his resume dictates already and you have to think that the Flyers (or any team) already expect it. Philly media spends way too much time stating the obvious, how about doing a piece on how he's adjusted to life in yet another city or even interviewing him or finding out what his life was like before coming to America as an 18 y/o? He's still just 26 y/o, afterall with stops in Columbus, NYR, Syracuse, back to Russia, and now back to the NHL in Philadelphia.
- He certainly seems to have found a home with Carter and JVR. Who knew that putting together 2 me first players like Carter and Zherdev would make such a potent line....— flyerrod
Gagne...5 mil...17 mins a game...3 goals...PP time
Nik...2 mil...12 mins a game...13 goals...NO PP time
3 million less...5 mins a game less...tied with the laziest Flyer aka Carter for goals this season...1st place in the NHL...
Doesn't matter if he plays no D...no one has EVER won a championship when the other team scores MORE than they do...OFFENCE wins championships...Nik can score even without getting a pass from the chucker Jeff Carter.
Laviolette has NO clue what he's doing...every time we score, on comes the checking line...that is baffling...Zherdev gets no PP time, but Hartnell and Noodle do? Seriously??? Noodle??? Play the man...next to Claude, he's the most talented guy we have!!!- It is extremely common for a team to put their checking line out after a goal. The shift after a goal is very important, and opposing team is generally quite motivated after letting a goal in. The checking line's role is just to keep the game on an even keel for a shift. As far as Hartnell goes, I really don't understand the issue with him. He is one of the best net presences in the NHL. He and Nodl are on the ice to create traffic. If you have Giroux, Zherdev, Carter, Briere etc on the PP, there will be a bunch of shots from the outside with no traffic. Goalies stop those shots all the time. — Hexy4GM
- LOL Hexy4GM...are you kidding me? In my 30+ years in hockey, I have rarely EVER seen a coach do this. Not last year, not the year before not never until Lavy decided to do this stupidness. Smart money would be to put another scoring line on cuz the other team is gonna press to score so you could get more mistakes/scoring chances. The checking line has a purpose...not to get scored on, that is all (and Flyers are lucky cuz their 2 guys kill penalties WELL). Hartnell is BRUTAL on the PP and Noodle is a net presence??? LOL...Pronger is a net presence, even Carbomb is a net presence and so is Carter/Richy/Meszaros/Holmgren etc...NOT Noodle...geez...did you not see the last goal by Florida? Destroys your point of goalies stopping those shots all the time...apparently Boosh can't stop one from the blueline. PP unit 1 should be: Giroux/Zherdev/Carter/Richy & Prongs...2nd: Briere/Leino/Hartnell/Kimmo/Meszaros...skilled players get PP time and Zherdev/Leino/Giroux are Philly's 3 MOST skilled players with the puck.
