The Rangers and the agent for Nikolai Zherdev are in the preliminary stages of negotiations aimed at extending the talented 24-year-old winger’s contract and thus preventing him from reaching the Group II free-agent market, The Post has learned.
“This is where I want to be,” Zherdev told The Post yesterday. “I don’t want to play in Russia next year. I want to stay here and play in the NHL, in New York, with the Rangers.
“I’m very happy here. I like the team. I like the guys. I like living here. Everything is good.”
Rolland Hedges, who represents Zherdev, told The Post that Rangers management has reached out to him. Zherdev is in the final season of the three-year, $7.5M contract he signed with Columbus prior to 2006-07.
“Nikky really likes New York,” Hedges said. “It would be our preference to get something done so that he can be a Ranger for a long time.”
Zherdev, whom the Blueshirts acquired on July 2 with Dan Fritsche in exchange for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman, leads the Blueshirts in scoring with 37 points (12-25) entering tonight’s match at the Coliseum against the Islanders. Zherdev is also tied for the team lead with a plus-six rating.
“Nik is a driven player and a passionate player,” said head coach Tom Renney. “He works hard at both ends and when the puck is on his stick, he’s a threat.”
Zherdev is clearly the Rangers’ most talented player. Still, he’s gone eight games since his last goal, a brilliant shorthanded score in San Jose on Dec. 20, and has just one goal in his last 10, three in his last 16 and five in his last 25. The modestly talented Blueshirts will need more production from Zherdev in order to have a chance of competing for more than just a playoff spot.
“The last few games I’ve been trying to get more speed before I shoot,” said Zherdev, more visible the last week since being reunited with center Brandon Dubinsky. “The coaches have been telling me to shoot more. I’m more focused on going to the net.
“I don’t worry about not scoring as long as I play well in different areas. I’m trying my best to score. I probably just need one goal, even if it’s lucky, to get me going, but it doesn’t matter who scores as long as we win.”
The Rangers have serious cap issues to confront moving forward. They have already committed $39.159M to eight players – Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Henrik Lundqvist, Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Markus Naslund, Dan Girardi and Marc Staal – toward the 2009-10 cap that should be between $53-$56M.
Locking up Zherdev – what’s his number, $4M? -would eliminate the prospect of having to match an offer sheet from an NHL team or a lucrative bid from a Russian club. Zherdev has a history back home, established when he joined Columbus for his rookie 2003-04 season despite Russian protests that he had not completed his military obligations.
Not coincidentally, Zherdev, who played in the 2003 World Juniors, has not been selected for a Russian national team since joining the NHL.
“I don’t understand why I’m not chosen,” Zherdev said yesterday. “I would love to play in international competitions. Nobody talks to me to explain.”