Well, I am sure most of you have heard the latest rumor concerning the Rangers and Leafs as it is now being posted all around the Internet. In case you haven't, rumor has it that the Blueshirts and the Toronto Maple Leafs have had some talks regarding forward, Nikolai Zherdev. Zherdev was awarded $3.9 million from arbitration yesterday, and now the Rangers have until tomorrow afternoon to make a decision of whether to accept the contract or reject it and walk away from the 24 year-old Russian.
If this rumor were to be true, then the Rangers would have to accept Zherdev's 1 year/$3.9 million contract, and then they would be able to ship him off to the Leafs. As far as who the Rangers would be looking at receiving in return, I would put my money on defenseman Ian White. It was said that Glen Sather was after 25 year-old White, and now that Leafs have a surplus of defensemen, it would make sense that they would send Ian packing.
White registered 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 71 games played with the Maple Leafs last season. Ian would make for a decent sixth pairing defenseman along with Matt Gilroy. White also was given time on the Leafs powerplay towards the ladder half of the 2008-09 season. The only problem with this acquisition, is that it would most likely shut-out Sanguinetti or Del Zotto from making the team this year.
In the end, Ian White ($850,000 cap hit) would be an acceptable return for Zherdev. Steve Zipay also suggested maybe the Rangers would be interested in a spare forward in Lee Stepniak (14-30-44), but I feel we have too many third and fourth liners as it is.
So I guess Sather is not sure as to what to do with Zherdev just yet. I imagined he had a plan in place and would make a quick decision, but this rumor would lead one to think otherwise. Let the Zherdev drama live on.....
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Enough D-men
Im gonna make a prediction here myself...i think it will be Ponikarovsky. You heard it from me first :)
Don't see it happening as Zherdev isn't a Burke player IMO
I dont see it...but, how about:
Zherdev/Roszival/Voros/Parenteau/3rd Rd Pk
FOR
Stempniak/Tlusty/White/Komisarek
lets just get rid of zherdev/rosi.andredden for a bag of pucks that would equal out in playing ablity
They can at least give us newer pucks. ;)
Also, I would love to make the trade that Anonymous suggested, but I doubt that Toronto will trade Komisarek after signing him.
hey thats not going to happen.Even though its wishful thinking.
Anonymous. This is not NHL 09.
Haha, yea, very slim chance TOR goes out and signs Komisarek just to trade him.
Leafs blogger here:
I would be more than willing to part with Ian White and Lee Stempniak for Zherdev. Stempniak is expendable at this point, and as much as I like White, we can do without him if we are keeping Kaberle. However,you guys wont be disappointed in Ian.
Ponikarovsky wont be moved however, so dont get your hopes up for him. Considering Poni put up 61 points, swapping him for Zherdev would be a lateral move. Poni also established himself as a leader to our young Russian players (Grabovski and Kulemin) and could do the same for Zherdev. If we are getting Z it makes sense to keep Poni around.
and at Anonymous: sorry but that trade is horrific. Tlusty is a key piece to our future and Komi isnt going anywhere after just being signed.
Hey Drake,
You make some good points in your comment. It is good to know first hand from a Leafs fan that you liked Ian White and we wouldn't be disappointed. The trade would be fairly equal IMO, and I wouldn't totally mind it.
Thanks for the Comment!!
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