New York Rangers: Little Nicky Brings His Show to Broadway

Okay, so what gives?

Did Glen Sather just pull off a trade outta the hat of early Oilers maneuvers...or is Nikolai Zherdev more problems than he is worth in the eye's of the Columbus Blue Jackets faith full?

I mean, Zherdev and Dan Fritsche in exchange for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman seems like a wash to me.

No disrespects to Tyutin because I think he is a very solid young defenseman, and the Jackets got themselves a beauty, but Zherdev has the ability to be elite.

The 6'2" 200 pound Zherdev has the qualities of a young Alexei Kovalev, whom the Rangers brass loved for years. He is shifty and bleeds talent, and at 23 is only going to get better, not that he ain't good now.

He is coming off a career best in points last season with 61 in 82 games, and in his three full seasons in the NHL he has broke the 20 goal mark with 26 last season and 27 in his rookie campaign.

Yeah New York, he is the real deal.

This is a brilliant move on the part of Sather who can now part ways with 36 year old Jaromir Jagr if need be.

Zherdev may bring the same headaches, but being 13 years younger with an explosive upside and matching Jagr's output in goals last season, well why wouldn't you flip a coin and take the chance?

I for one am excited about the direction this team is headed, even more so than last season when they added Gomez and Drury at this time.

To me they have shored up an already good defense with the signing of Wade Redden(ahem not to like the smell of my own farts, but I told ya so), and have gotten younger and didn't lose any skill with the addition of Zherdev and most likely departure of Jagr (ahem I also called Avery).

If this team can get their number one pick from last years entry draft Chereponov in the line up, well look out New York, this could be the greatest show on broadway besides Cats next winter.

What the New York Rangers have pulled off is instantly become a contender in the new NHL.

They have gotten younger, faster, and quite possibly more coachable for the professor Tom Renney.

If I had to make a bold prediction for next season I would have to say "Little Nicky" Zherdev and the Rangers are going all the way next year...its just too bad Detroit and Marian Hossa may be standing in the way at the end of the road.