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| Nikolai Zherdev: I would really like to continue playing with Fedorov |
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Nikolai Zherdev (Columbus Blue Jackets)
By Alexei Shevchenko (Football-Hockey)
Translated by Yura Zyuzin of Russian Hockey Digest
One of the most talented young Russian forwards, Nikolai Zherdev, has yet to sign a new contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. And there is nothing surprising about this. The three seasons Zherdev spent under contract with Columbus turned out to be rather meagre. First he left CSKA with a big scandal, after being sent to the second team, then followed the lockout and his return to CSKA. Last season under new, seemingly ideal rules for Zherdev, he played inconsistently, and even spent a couple matches with Columbus' farm club for educational purposes. His stats correlate to this. Many NHL forwards could be jealous of such production, but Zherdev' output last season in not quite enough for his superstar abilities. Yet superstar production is exactly what is expected of him. And for what he himself strives.
Nikolai, it is generally thought that a hockey player returning from the NHL during his peak did not achieve something in life. That is, his career is turning out to be unsuccessful. Do you agree?
N. Zherdev: No, I don't think so. Furthermore, I am certain that I will return to America. I simply have some differences of opinion with my team regarding my new contract. But they are being resolved.
Does the question lie in money?
N. Zherdev: I'll say this: I am currently being offered a sum, that doesn't correlate to my level. I know my price. That is the entire problem.
Is this a holdout?
N. Zherdev: No. I am simply preparing for the season in Russia. I do not yet have a contract with Columbus, but I may yet be offered one. So far, that has not happened, and I am practising in my homeland. But really negotiations with Columbus - those are my agent's problems, and not mine. Why should I fill my head with unnecessary questions?
Then let us recall last season. Before the start of the season Columbus strengthened itself significantly. Everyone expected that you would secure a place in the playoffs without much difficulty. At least, the team's roster made it possible to hope for such. But it was not meant to be. How come?
N. Zherdev: Yes, we had a pretty good team. But in all honesty, I still don't understand what happened, why our performance was so weak. Probably, we made too many mistakes; everyone did - the players, the coaching staff. On the whole, it turned out that the majority of our opponents exceeded our team in quality.
Were you psychologically not ready for victories?
N. Zherdev: That is not excluded. Everything somehow did not go as we planned.
When it became apparent that the Blue Jackets were not going to make the playoffs, was everyone on the team greatly upset?
N. Zherdev: Yes, of course. After all, we expected to be amongst the best eight teams in the West. And I had personally hoped that my second season with Columbus would turn out better, than the first. It's frustrating when your team ends up so low in the standings. After the end of the season there remained an unpleasant sediment.
You are, probably, used to the constant losses?
N. Zherdev: Fortunately, no. And generally, it is necessary to fight such habits. As before, I get upset when the team loses, and rejoice greatly with every victory. We, by the way, had good games during the season. Unfortunately, we only started playing well when everything was decided.
You failed at the beginning of the season?
N. Zherdev: Yes, at the very beginning, the most crucial of games. Now I understand, how important victories in the first five-six matches are, to create some breathing room for the future and to feel confident. After, of course, it is also possible to stumble, but that is easier to deal with.
So it can be said that the autumn was the worst portion of the season for your team?
N. Zherdev: Yes, we had a very unlucky start. I also still remember our road trip in Canada, if we beat Edmonton then, then we would have had a chance of making the playoffs. The Blue Jackets realized the importance of the upcoming matches, and we prepared ourselves for the Oilers very seriously. And we didn't play that badly. Trouble is, the future Stanley Cup finalists had an awesome game.
Were you surprised that Oilers made it to the final?
N. Zherdev: Not a bit. They're a very respectable team. It's always hard to play against Edmonton, especially in their arena. The defence of that team is - one of the best in the league.
Surely, the most significant event for your team last season was the acquisition of Sergei Fedorov. How unexpected was that trade for you?
N. Zherdev: Honestly speaking, I didn't hear anything about it, that such a trade could occur. Although I don't really follow all the trades, that's the job of the managers. Nevertheless, rumours concerning the matter - and this is regular occurrence - did not exist. Only a few days before Sergei's arrival did our team find out, that such a turn of events was possible.
Did Fedorov adjust to his new team okay?
N. Zherdev: He is an incredible master of the game. I think that nobody had problems with Sergei. Personally, I found playing with him very enjoyable. We found a mutual understanding almost immediately. I greatly desire to continue playing with Sergei. But not everything in this matter depends on myself or him.
But even Fedorov was unable to help Columbus make the playoffs...
N. Zherdev: Possibly, the matter is that Sergei was not always utilized correctly. For example, he did not have a lot of ice time. In my opinion, he did not receive what he could have expected. Possibly, injuries are at fault, they pursued him in the first half of the season. The coach probably feared that Fedorov would not handle big workloads. But it appeared to me that he was in good form. If Sergei spent more time on the ice, he would have brought a more optimal benefit to the club.
Did Fedorov's transfer affect you personally After all, prior to that you were the only Russian on your team.
N. Zherdev: Yes, everything became significantly merrier with him. We spent quite a bit of time together off the ice, and always tried to sit next to each other on the bench. In spite of the age difference, we found common topics. It goes without saying that he had his own social circle, and I - my own. But if you're on the same team, it's not all that important. We often call each other. Although we have yet to meet in Moscow, I fully expect it.
But then you have another excellent veteran - defenseman Adam Foote.
N. Zherdev: Foot - an excellent player, a long-time NHL veteran. And when he was invited to join the team, his experience was taken into account, his ability to act in difficult situations. He turned out to be a very amiable person. A true captain.
Did you expect that another defenseman would breakout into his own - Frank Beauchemin, who was traded for Sergei Fedorov. In Columbus, delicately speaking, he did not shine. But he became one of the leaders in Anaheim.
N. Zherdev: Honestly speaking, I did not follow his career for the Mighty Ducks. He also spent too short period of time with us, for me to formulate a personal opinion of him. A good defenseman, nothing more.
Rick Nash played admirably during the season. Surely, if not for the injuries, he would have scored more?
N. Zherdev: Without question. He is a very good hockey player, who continues to progress every year. Yes, injuries got in the way of him having an even better season. Unfortunately, he "broke" even before the start of the season, in training camp. And, of course, we missed Rick sorely at the beginning of the season. However, when Nash recovered and Fedorov was traded to the team, Columbus started playing well.
Is Rick Nash still the naive teenager, that he was before? I remember that in one interview, he admitted that he likes Britney Spears.
N. Zherdev: (Laughs) I don't know who he likes right now. We don't socialize a lot, and the reason behind this is my not very good English. But I did not notice any strangeness about Rick. A normal guy. A good hockey player.
How are things with you? It's no secret, that more was expected of Zherdev this season. And your coach did not hide the fact that he expected great things from you. Furthermore, when you left for America it was thought that you would soon become the leader of Columbus - a team that's far from elite. However, at the present moment one cannot really call you such. What went wrong?
N. Zherdev: You're right; my second season went a little awry. I had some personal problems, due to which I could not completely concentrate on hockey. Another reason - Nash got injured. I did not find partners, with whom I felt comfortable on the ice. The absence of chemistry showed itself. In order to breakout, not only your own efforts are required, but also the help of your linemates. Because of this I could not find my game for a long time.
What was the coach saying?
N. Zherdev: He asked, who I preferred to play with, and we tried to find optimal combinations, but little came of it. Moreover, I sometimes played with guys from the farm club, who were called-up for a short period of time. Understandably, it's extremely difficult to show your qualities in such a situation. Everything fell into place, when Nash recovered and Fedorov joined the team. But it was too late. Our team had already lost its playoff spot by then.
Are you not satisfied with your stats?
N. Zherdev: Not really. I, as well as the rest of them, did not play very well at the beginning of the season. It can be said, that it was simply a failure. But then everything seemed to have been fixed. I hope, that the past season was the worst of my career, and that from now on I will only progress.
As far as I know, you were even sent-down to the farm club last season?
N. Zherdev: Yeah, that happened. Of course, it's frustrating. But what to do? I played there for two games. Luckily, my tenure there did not last for long.
It's said, that hockey in the AHL is rougher. Fights with the participation of those who are not supposed to fight, are not a rarity. Even players of the main team are not spared.
N. Zherdev: As you can see, everything turned out okay...
Have you have thoughts of transferring to another club, one that sets serious goals, and competes for something.
N. Zherdev: No-no. I really like Columbus, and I am treated well by the management. The coach believes in me. How can I forget how the management supported me during hard times? And the city itself is to my liking - quiet, calm. But in the NHL trades cannot be avoided. After all, it's a business. But I hope to remain with Columbus, and make the playoffs with them next season.
I am very interested in your opinion on the new rules. The majority of forwards in the NHL are happy with them. How about you?
N. Zherdev: I have an ambiguous opinion. On the one hand it's good for forwards. Right now there exists a greater opportunity to work with the puck, to play individually. This often draws penalties, and the entire team wins. But some in the league take advantage of this. Instead of playing hockey, they concentrate on drawing penalties. And when the majority of the game is played on special teams, it's not so good. Furthermore, when my team has to kill penalties, my appearances on the ice become rarer. That seriously knocks me out of rhythm.
Were the referees too strict with your team?
N. Zherdev: I wouldn't say so. They refereed everything that happened. It's another matter that our defensemen often gave excuses to be penalized.
But I did not have the feeling that referees were on the ice so that two teams could play a normal game, I got the feeling that they were there to mercilessly penalize everyone. Sometimes one got the impression, that they could hardly contain themselves in their wait, for someone to break the rules.
N. Zherdev: I did not share the same observations. Referees in the NHL are the best in the world. What they see, is what they call. They are fighting for clean hockey. By the way, I await the RSL season with caution. Even from the practises, one can tell that the game is dirty. However, I will quickly adjust to this. After all, I did not leave Russia fifteen years ago, but only a season ago.
They have a lot of young players in Columbus, your team in considered one of the most prospective. When will the Blue Jackets start to win, will they transform from a sorry bunch with falling hopes to a serious combat unit?
N. Zherdev: You know, it's hard to count on victories because of youth alone, we find ourselves lacking in experience. Probably, a balance needs to be maintained. We will hardly know how to win something without experienced veterans. Guys who have passed through both fire and water in this league, can suggest, how one has to handle oneself in a given situation. Look at how much better Columbus started playing after the acquisition of Fedorov. People, like Sergei, like Adam Foote, can unite a team.
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| 2009-02-26 | | Barys - Vityaz 6:4 | | Atlant - Spartak 3:2 | | Severstal - Metallurg Mg 1:2 | | Lokomotiv - Traktor 3:1 | | SKA - Salavat Yulaev 5:4 | | CSKA - HC MVD 3:2 | | Dynamo Minsk - Metallurg Nk 2:4 | | Dynamo Riga - Amur 0:1 |
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| Mozyakin Sergey 76 (34+42) | | Marek Yan 72 (35+37) | | Morozov Alexei 71 (32+39) | | Zaripov Danis 65 (34+31) | | Tereschenko Alexei 58 (29+29) |
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| Marek Yan 35 | | Brendl Pavel 35 | | Mozyakin Sergey 34 | | Zaripov Danis 34 | | Morozov Alexei 32 |
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| Mozyakin Sergey 42 | | Morozov Alexei 39 | | Marek Yan 37 | | Mortensson Toni 35 | | Pestunov Dmitry 34 |
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| Ogureshnikov Sergey 1.44 | | Yachanov Dmitry 1.47 | | Norrena Fredrik 1.52 | | Kolesnik Vitaly 1.61 | | Gayduchenko Sergey 1.62 |
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