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jimotis4heisman
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it is being reported that z and doug have reached an agreement. some told you guys to watch out about this not to long ago...
add this too
add this too
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jimotis4heisman
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i heard hooley use the word agreement. its been solidified for awhile, just not verified. when your club pulls every picture of a marquee player of its website, thats usually a pretty indicative sign. that being said its not a done deal... but it will be.
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
Jackets, Zherdev on verge of a deal
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
</IMG>
The Blue Jackets appear close to reaching contract terms with restricted free agent Nikolai Zherdev. "We?ve had some good discussions," said Rolland Hedges, Zherdev?s agent. "We?re prepared to compromise. "If they are as well, I think we?ll have a deal."
The two sides ended a one-hour negotiating session at 6:30 last night. They plan to talk again today, Blue Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean said.
NHL sources indicated a deal could be struck in the next 24 to 48 hours.
"We?ve got real progress, which is good," MacLean said. "We have not agreed to terms. I wouldn?t say we?re close, necessarily, in a lot of respects.
"But I would say the foundation is in place where we could get something done if we keep having productive talks."
Asked what ended the weeks-long impasse, Hedges said: "Time. People tend to negotiate when time is of the essence."
The Blue Jackets open the regular season against Vancouver on Oct. 6 in Nationwide Arena.
If Zherdev, a right winger, plays a game for his Russian club on or after that date, he would have to pass through NHL waivers to join the Blue Jackets.
Even if Zherdev signed a contract today, there?s a chance he could miss the first few games of the season because of visa issues.
MacLean said last night that the Blue Jack- ets have "done all the paperwork we could do in advance, so that if we get (a contract) done, we?re ready to go.
"I would assume (Zherdev?s agents) have done the same thing, so all we?d have to do is wait on the (system)."
Still, the system can take a while, weeks even.
Last season, when Atlanta signed star winger Ilya Kovalchuk on the eve of the regular season, he missed the Thrashers? first four games.
Zherdev and the Blue Jackets are believed to be discussing a three-year contract, similar to what was on the table earlier this month when talks broke down.
At that point, the two sides were $1.6 million apart, with the Jackets offering three years, $6.9 million and Zherdev?s agents countering at three years, $8.5 million.
To cover themselves, the Blue Jackets signed free-agent right winger Anson Carter on the eve of training camp.
But they would gladly make room for Zherdev, a dynamic player and one of the few Blue Jackets who can carry the puck through the middle of the ice, weaving his way through traffic.
Zherdev was second on the club in goals (27) and points (54) last season.
It may have helped, too, that the Blue Jackets are without top-line center Sergei Fedorov (shoulder) for at least the first two weeks of the regular season.
More than anything, though, the driving force has been Zherdev?s desire to play in the NHL and the Blue Jackets? desire to have him on the ice in what they hope is their first playoff season.
Dispatch reporter Michael Arace contributed to this story
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jimotis4heisman
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more rumblings of z
http://spectorshockey.tripod.com/default.html
ps does anyone have xm? and more importantly hear the whole columbus to win the central div conversation? ive heard about it from 3 or 4 people but no one actually heard it.
http://spectorshockey.tripod.com/default.html
ps does anyone have xm? and more importantly hear the whole columbus to win the central div conversation? ive heard about it from 3 or 4 people but no one actually heard it.
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
Zherdev signing comes with strings attached
Friday, September 29, 2006
Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
</IMG>
Moments after the Blue Jackets signed Nikolai Zherdev to a threeyear, $7.5 million contract yesterday, president and general manager Doug MacLean stressed that a baby sitter will no longer be part of the deal.
"It?s time for Nikki to get after it," MacLean said. "It?s time for him to grow."
The deal will pay Zherdev $1.75 million this season, $2.5 million in 2007-08 and $3.25 million in 2008-09, a longer term and more money than the Blue Jackets said they were willing to offer.
The Jackets would not relent, however, on their demands to agent Rolland Hedges that Zherdev work hard to learn English, assimilate in the dressing room and reach out to the community.
"We?re not going to have a fulltime baby sitter for him," MacLean said. "There?s a difference between getting him help and getting him a baby sitter. We?re willing to help the kid, of course. But we need Nikki to come in here ready to be a better teammate. That?s the bottom line."
The Blue Jackets last year employed Sergei Kharin, a Russianborn former NHL player, to serve as Zherdev?s handler, his problem solver for issues that arose on and off the ice.
Kharin remains with the Blue Jackets, MacLean said, but in a different capacity. He won?t have much interaction with Zherdev this season. He will be in the dressing room less, where last year he was a fixture.
"Everybody?s intentions were right, to help (Zherdev) out, to give him a hand," captain Adam Foote said. "But Sergei was like a crutch. It?s tough for any young guy to get used to being in the NHL, but especially so for a kid who?s come from an entirely different country. But, still, you have to reach out. You have to get through it.
"This will be good for him. It?ll maybe force him to go out there and interact a little more."
The process already is in motion.
MacLean said yesterday that Zherdev has promised to buy $125,000 worth of tickets during the next three seasons to be donated to charity.
"Nikolai is a good, young kid," MacLean said. "He wants to do well and he wants to do the right thing."
The Blue Jackets are hopeful Zherdev can get his visa issues settled before the season opener Oct. 6 against Vancouver in Nationwide Arena.
Zherdev is to meet with Russian and U.S. immigration officials Tuesday or Wednesday in Moscow. If all goes well, he could be on a plane by Wednesday evening, practice Thursday in Columbus and be ready for the opener.
"I would like to see Nikolai skate with the rest of the guys at least a couple of times before we put him out there on opening night," coach Gerard Gallant said. "I want to get a look at him first, but we?ll see what he looks like when he arrives."
Zherdev is said to be in excellent shape, unlike when he arrived last season. He has played six games with his Russian club.
"The last 35 games he played last season were excellent," Gallant said. "If we can get that out of him all season ? maybe even a little more, because he?s a year older ? I think we?d all be really happy."
Gallant said he was up late last night jotting down forward lines, trying to figure out how the Blue Jackets will look when Zherdev joins the fray and Sergei Fedorov (shoulder) returns to health.
The Blue Jackets have David Vyborny, Anson Carter, Zherdev, Jaroslav Balastik and Dan Fritsche on the depth chart at right wing.
"Whatever line (Zherdev is) on, it?s now a pretty good line," Gallant said. "We?ve got a lot of guys who can play on a top-two or -three line, but that?s a good problem to have."
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
COMMENTARY
Jackets find silver lining in negotiation episode
Friday, September 29, 2006
BOB HUNTER
</IMG>
So, as it turns out, a protracted, messy Nikolai Zherdev conthat seemed as appetizing as a bowl of dirty Jell-O could be a good thing for the Blue Jackets.
The operative word is could.
"It?s a good thing for me, I know that," coach Gerald Gallant said. "At least it is for our team."
It definitely looks like a good thing for this team, anyway. President and general manager Doug MacLean said yesterday that if Zherdev had signed this summer, he probably wouldn?t have signed veteran Anson Carter. Carter, an accomplished NHL forward who had somehow fallen between the cracks because the big-money teams were banging their heads on the salary cap, offered a nice oneyear option for Columbus when it appeared Zherdev might stay in Russia this winter.
Had Zherdev signed early, Carter probably would never have been pursued.
"I would say I wouldn?t have," MacLean said. "I can?t say that Mr. (John H.) McConnell would agree (that it turned out for the best by having both). I know when I met with Mr. Mac (about Carter), it wasn?t that Zherdev was coming. But I told him then that there was still a chance that we could get it done, and we?d have to talk about that at another time, which we did."
Kudos to the Blue Jackets? owners (John H. and John P. McConnell), then, for being willing to pay Zherdev money to Carter when it looked as if Zherdev wasn?t going to play here, and then being willing to go over the team?s budget and pay Zherdev money (approximately $2.5 million per year) again when it became clear that he wanted to sign. It is a signal that the McConnells care deeply about giving Columbus a winner.
The "could" enters the equation only when you consider the longterm ramifications of the negotiating process. MacLean characterized it as "unbelievably cordial," which would seem to be a classic case of revisionist history. How can we forget Mac-Lean?s blunt "it?s up to him" assessment when Zherdev threatened to stay in Russia than take what now appears to be a low-ball two-year, $3.75 million offer a month ago? Was agent Rolland Hedges? public distemper after MacLean signed Carter ? he immediately demanded a trade ? an act?
Maybe it was.
"It?s part of the business," team captain Adam Foote said. "I don?t think anybody takes any of that personal or too hard."
But what if Zherdev, whom we know skates to the beat of a different arena organist, took it personally? Isn?t it possible that these "cordial" negotiations have left a bitter taste in his mouth that might ultimately preclude him from having a long and productive career in Columbus?
This guy is a potential superstar. He could be hitting his stride when this contract ends.
"I think that was blown out (of proportion)," MacLean said. "I?ve heard comments ? anytime we?re in negotiations, it?s never as bad as it?s portrayed."
Well, maybe. Reporters don?t make this stuff up; they only report what they have been told by the principals. And it still seems as though all of this cordiality could have been avoided by simply giving Zherdev a decent three-year offer a month ago, instead of daring him to stay in Russia, signing another guy to replace him and then ultimately giving him pretty much what he wanted all along.
But?s that old news now. At this point, there?s no turning back the clock. What?s done is done. If there is any lingering bitterness on Zherdev?s part, the Blue Jackets have three years to persuade him that Columbus is where he wants to be.
The bottom line ? the Jackets have a lineup that will include Zherdev and Carter ? is definitely good.
"Oh, yeah, for sure," Foote said. "I love that we have both of them. It?s great ? kind of a blessing in disguise, eh? "
Bob Hunter is a sports columnist for The Dispatch
.
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
Blue Jackets
Zherdev signing comes with strings attached
By Aaron Portzline
The Columbus Dispatch
Friday, September 29, 2006 12:03 AM
</IMG>
Moments after the Blue Jackets signed Nikolai Zherdev to a three-year, $7.5 million contract yesterday, president and general manager Doug MacLean stressed that a baby sitter will no longer be part of the deal.
"It's time for Nikki to get after it," MacLean said. "It's time for him to grow."
The deal will pay Zherdev $1.75 million this season, $2.5 million in 2007-08 and $3.25 million in 2008-09, a longer term and more money than the Blue Jackets said they were willing to offer.
The Jackets would not relent, however, on their demands to agent Rolland Hedges that Zherdev work hard to learn English, assimilate in the dressing room and reach out to the community.
"We're not going to have a full-time baby sitter for him," MacLean said. "There's a difference between getting him help and getting him a baby sitter. We're willing to help the kid, of course. But we need Nikki to come in here ready to be a better teammate. That's the bottom line."
The Blue Jackets last year employed Sergei Kharin, a Russian-born former NHL player, to serve as Zherdev's handler, his problem solver for issues that arose on and off the ice.
Kharin remains with the Blue Jackets, MacLean said, but in a different capacity. He won't have much interaction with Zherdev this season. He will be in the dressing room less, where last year he was a fixture.
"Everybody's intentions were right, to help (Zherdev) out, to give him a hand," captain Adam Foote said. "But Sergei was like a crutch. It's tough for any young guy to get used to being in the NHL, but especially so for a kid who's come from an entirely different country. But, still, you have to reach out. You have to get through it.
"This will be good for him. It'll maybe force him to go out there and interact a little more."
The process already is in motion.
MacLean said yesterday that Zherdev has promised to buy $125,000 worth of tickets during the next three seasons to be donated to charity.
"Nikolai is a good, young kid," MacLean said. "He wants to do well and he wants to do the right thing."
The Blue Jackets are hopeful Zherdev can get his visa issues settled before the season opener Oct. 6 against Vancouver in Nationwide Arena.
Zherdev is to meet with Russian and U.S. immigration officials Tuesday or Wednesday in Moscow. If all goes well, he could be on a plane by Wednesday evening, practice Thursday in Columbus and be ready for the opener.
"I would like to see Nikolai skate with the rest of the guys at least a couple of times before we put him out there on opening night," coach Gerard Gallant said. "I want to get a look at him first, but we'll see what he looks like when he arrives."
Zherdev is said to be in excellent shape, unlike when he arrived last season. He has played six games with his Russian club.
"The last 35 games he played last season were excellent," Gallant said. "If we can get that out of him all season ? maybe even a little more, because he's a year older ? I think we'd all be really happy."
Gallant said he was up late last night jotting down forward lines, trying to figure out how the Blue Jackets will look when Zherdev joins the fray and Sergei Fedorov (shoulder) returns to health.
The Blue Jackets have David Vyborny, Anson Carter, Zherdev, Jaroslav Balastik and Dan Fritsche on the depth chart at right wing.
"Whatever line (Zherdev is) on, it's now a pretty good line," Gallant said. "We've got a lot of guys who can play on a top-two or -three line, but that's a good problem to have."
Reader Comments (1-10 of 21)Click here to comment Sep 29, 2006 06:21 amHe may get us more points but I'm not so sure Zherdev makes us a better "team". This guy seems to be all about himself. I wish we would have traded him for another scoring forward with some leadership skills on and off the ice.Sep 29, 2006 05:28 amDoes MacLean pay for all the positive comments that are posted? Who gets credit if the Jackets make the play-offs MacLean. Who gets the blame if they don't the players. We need Zherdev, regardless of his language skills. (By the way, Vyborny needed flashcards to communicate when he first arrived). The team looks great offensively, but the defense is not stable with Foote, Berard, and Westcott. As far as the goalie situation, keep your fingers crossed. I am glad that MacLean did his job and signed the best players he could.Sep 29, 2006 01:44 amJust wanted to add to the comment about the Blue Jackets D being questionable. I completely agree with your comments about Foote struggling (for what we're paying him at least), and Berard being injured and a defensive liability. But Ron Hainsey has become a really terrific 2-way defenseman, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him in the top pairing by the end of the year. So, with him, Westcott, Foote, Berard, and Klesla, we shouldn't be in too bad of shape.Sep 28, 2006 09:07 pmOur offense will be the best it's ever been, Pascal's the real deal, but if anything keeps us out of the post-season, it'll be our D. Foote's past his prime & Berard's back issues are still leaving more of a question mark w/our Power Play. Berard's better known as an offensive defenseman anyway. Klesla's going to be better again, but he's still a ways off from being an all-star, if ever. Duvie Wescott? Decent at best. He needs to score more, but I'll take his decent D anyway. Look for us to add a top-notch defenseman at the trade deadline. We're still way under the cap(@37-38 Mil, now, I think?), and this year, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SELLERS, WE'RE GOING TO THE HUNT FOR THE CUP!!!!Sep 28, 2006 08:18 pmGood Deal! Zherdev is a player with awesome skill. He sometimes seems to forget that team play is necessary for success in the NHL. Hopefully, this signing is a step in the right direction... If not, we've still got Anson Carter, right?Sep 28, 2006 08:15 pmLooks like Doug will be around another year.Sep 28, 2006 06:25 pmSome GMs should take notes here. If the NHLs GMs can show the restraint in the future that Doug has now, then we may not have another lockout. Under the new system there are less 7 mil$ players but more 3 mil$ players. its already heading in the wrong direction. As for Zherdev, his fight has just begun. Gerard Gallant was a workhorse player and I dont think he is one bit concerned that players need to play harder under the new rules. That includes players like Zherdev who need to learn to skate fast in both directions. Zherdev will be expected to play harder. Good job MacLean (Gallant can take this team to the playoffs) Sep 28, 2006 05:23 pmShould have left him in Russia!!Sep 28, 2006 05:08 pmThanks Doug!! Hey Nikki its time to be a team player and learn alot more ENGLISH!Sep 28, 2006 04:54 pmHey Dougie boy, how does that crow taste?
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
BLUE JACKETS
Traditional sign of autumn: Jackets with injuries
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Michael Arace
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
</IMG> Sergei Fedorov, left, is out because of a sprained shoulder.
</IMG>
Bryan Berard walked around with electrodes stuck to his surgically repaired lower back. Adam Foote skated easy and waited for his "tweaked" knee to heal. Sergei Fedorov wore a sling after he suffered a severely sprained shoulder in the second exhibition game. Alexander Svitov wore a sling after he suffered a separated shoulder in the fourth exhibition.
If it?s time for football Friday nights and parent-teacher conferences, if there?s a Mid-American Conference team in the Horseshoe and a swift-boat ad on television, then it?s early autumn in central Ohio, and the Blue Jackets are injured. What is a training camp without a trainer?s table?
"It seems every team has got their problems," Rick Nash said. "Unfortunately for us, it?s our first-line center in Fedorov and our first defenseman in Footer. That?s tough. But there?s no point in sitting on it and glooming over it. It?s part of sport. You can?t worry about it."
Training camp is a time of instant immersion into full-contact preparation for a grueling season. Guys get hurt. Just look around the Jackets? Central Division. Half the St. Louis Blues defense is hobbled. The Detroit Red Wings are wondering whether key addition Danny Markov is going to be ready for opening night. In Chicago, the Blackhawks are incensed over the low hit that Jackets defenseman Rostislav Klesla put on Tuomo Ruutu in a recent exhibition; Ruutu has a badly sprained knee and could miss more than a month.
Blue Jackets fans cry for none of these teams. Last year is still too fresh. Remember? Nash?s quest to defend his goal-scoring title was derailed in his second scrimmage, when Derek Reinhart took him into the boards and Nash suffered a high ankle sprain. Nash would play on opening night, aggravate the injury and miss 11 games.
Then there was 2003, when top goal scorer Geoff Sanderson was crunched by a rambunctious junior, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, on the first day of camp. Sanderson suffered an injured shoulder, sat out the exhibition season and missed the opener.
Then there was 2000, the Jackets? first camp, when Espen Knutsen got slashed in an exhibition and broke a finger. Knutsen, the Blue Jackets? first All-Star, missed the first eight games of the season.
But 2005 remains the benchmark. Nash happened. Then half the defense went on the shelf, along with top centers Jan Hrdina (knee) and Todd Marchant (groin). Near the end of camp, a flu epidemic ripped through the team and some 31 players were affected. The Blue Jackets went into the season with an ill-tuned lineup, more injuries hit and the team suffered through one of its worst starts ever ? which is saying something.
The Blue Jackets were 5-18 through Thanksgiving and 9-25-1 before Christmas last year. In 2003-04, they were 8-18-4-3 Dec. 23. In 2002-03, they hovered around .500, fell off and coach Dave King got fired in January. The year before that, they won one game in regulation in October and took nearly three months to hit double digits in victories. In their inaugural season, they won two games in October and followed a four-game winning streak with a nine-game losing streak that dragged into December.
That?s a capsule history of the franchise: Out of the playoff picture by Christmas, it?s nobody?s fault and wait, just wait, until next year.
"There is the potential that four regulars won?t be there for games one and two," said president and general manager Doug MacLean, who was referring to the injured, Berard, Fedorov and Svitov, as well as the suspended, Klesla.
"We?re still deep enough to have a good start," MacLean said. "I think we?ve improved the team enough where we?re going to be in the mix right away, with only better things to come. I?m confident in the group. The positive is, none of (the injuries) appears to be long term, and the early schedule appears to be favorable."
The Blue Jackets open the season with three games in four days, then they get four days off. The Jackets have three sets of back-to-backs this month, but only nine games in 25 days through Halloween.
By the time November arrives, the team ought to have its full complement, which looks pretty good on paper ? barring injuries.
"Obviously, Fedorov is a huge loss," coach Gerard Gallant said. "He?s a top player in this league and he was looking really good before he went down. Will it cause us to lose games? I don?t think that?s the case. I believe we can play with anybody. I feel confident that if we get off with what we?ve got right now, we?ll be fine. And we?ll be even better if and when we get healthy."
The Blue Jackets have had one decent start (2002-03) in their five seasons of existence. That will have to change. Their division, the worst in the league last season, is better. The Western Conference is a bear. If the team is to improve on its 13 th-place finish and flirt with the top eight, it?s going to have to have to break well from the gate ? regardless of who is or isn?t on injured reserve.
If anyone is talking in December about the Columbus draft in June, instead of the playoffs, the fans will be looking for other uses for their discretionary dollars. There?s either a second honeymoon coming, or the marriage is in trouble.
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