Zherdev_cat
What a pussy!

For some reason this Nikolay Zherdev situation fascinates me. Earlier in the season, we told you about Zherdev's little problem of refusing to speak to the media. Then, when he was finally forced to do so, he said he wouldn't speak to Russian mobster beat reproter Tim Pannaccio. Pannaccio is Italian.

Zherdev has always been known as a little bit of a flake and it seems his trial with the Flyers is coming to an end.

According to Sam Carchidi, if the Flyers are offered an early round pick, Zherdev will be traded before next Monday's deadline. 

The tipping point with Zherdev may have come on Friday night when, just moments before the start of the game, Mike Richards was scratched with flu-like symptoms. The Flyers scrambled to find a player to replace him. Presumably, Zherdev was the number one option, but they couldn't find him, and instead went with Jody Shelley. [Philly Sports Daily]

There was an interesting situation Friday night at RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C., when Richards was a very late scratch with flu-like symptoms. Jody Shelley, not Zherdev, took the captain’s spot.

“I’m not sure what happened in Carolina, ’cause I wasn’t there,” Holmgren said. “But we were scrambling around eight minutes before the game and the only guy they could find was Jody, I think. Jody had to quick get dressed and get in the lineup.”

 

As someone on Twitter put it, did they check in Lavs' doghouse (heyyo!)?

The dude is a flake. But he is also very skilled. The few times he has applied himself at both ends of the ice this season, he has stood out as a skilled puck-handler, skater, and two-way player. Unfortunately, those times have been few and far between.

UPDATE: Zherdev now likely staying.