Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson continues to overhaul
his roster, today swapping two forwards for two defensemen.
Howson dealt Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche to the NY
Rangers for blueliners Christian Backman and Fedor Tyutin.
The deal ends the Blue Jackets long saga with the enigmatic
Zherdev, the fourth overall pick in the 2003 entry draft, as he was as
maddening with his inconsistency as he was dazzling with his skills.
This move certainly bolsters the depth of the Jackets
defense corps but still doesn’t address their need for a top-two blueliner.
Backman, whom the Rangers acquired from St. Louis at the trade deadline,
was disappointing in his short tenure in New York and the Blueshirts signing of
Wade Redden meant his days were numbered there. Tyutin had been re-signed to a
four-year contract extension by the Rangers last season and was thought to have
a career in New York.
The Rangers had been linked to Zherdev and Fritsche in trade
speculation mid-way through last season and at one point it was thought a deal
between the two sides was imminent before it apparently fell through.
Zherdev is a good offensive winger when he’s motivated to
play and Fritsche will provide depth to the Rangers checking lines.
With Zherdev now on the Rangers roster one wonders how long
winger Petr Prucha will remain a Blueshirt, as he was unable to land a
permanent spot on the Blueshirts top two lines this past season and was once named
as a potential return to the Jackets in those trade rumors last season.
Good deal for the Rangers. Zherdev is a heck of a player and he'll do well with the Rangers (hopefully less maddening than Alex Kovelev)
In addition to Prucha being endangered you have to wonder if the pick up of Fritsche means the end to Blair Betts in New York.
I'm sorry to see Tyutin go, like you I thought he had a future here. He was the lone physical defender that the team had so I can only hope that either Orpik will be brought in or Prucha and Betts can net the Rangers some help on the blue line.
And, if I'm not mistaken, the deal saves the Rangers some cash correct?
So much for my dreams of Orpik - about 30 seconds after I posted this he re-signed with the Pens.
It'll be fun to watch how the NY fans react to Zherdev...when he was good he was awesome but he is inconsistent as hell...I would have liked for Prucha to have been in the deal...time will tell
Chass - lets see how this all plays out before deciding anything about Drury. I think it's more likely that Betts will be traded for a stay at home blue liner.
Blu - we had Kovalev - Zherdev can't be more maddening.
Zherdev will be a star in NY, and Fritsche is a solid player, best trade Slats has made in years. But Backman and Tyutin probably won't speak to him ever again!
Like I said, I'm sorry to see Fedor go but I hope that Sather can parlay one of the smurfs (Dawes, Pru, Callahan) and Betts into a rugged guy like Kurt Sauer from Phoenix
You guys got a heck of player in Fritsche, he was a work horse like no other and stuck his head in everything. I wish him nothing but the best, you guys are gonna love him.
Zherdev.......hmmm....not so much. I liken him to whining 3 year old with mad money. If he shows up 80+ games to play with a good attitude, you guys will be the team to beat.
I hope our luck with your 2 D-men pays off, time will tell, we could use the help!
dlatch - you're going to like Fedor, he's a tough kid who is developing a nasty shot from the point. Backman....not so much. He's a big man who plays a very soft game. He gets pushed around on the ice, doesn't like going after the puck in the corner.
Bigger players out muscle him and smaller, quicker players draw penalties on him.
ChipS - Good to know about Fedor. Hate to hear we've got another Hainsey on our hands with Backman. All I read from everyone is how much of a dud (not dude there) Backman is! Hopefully everything pans out this year after summer's end, but we'll wait it out.
This trade #### me off. The Rangers traded their leading hitter (tyutin) for a Russian slacker !
I really dont know much about the Columbus guys, but Tyutin was on the Rangers the longest out of everyone. I personally would rather have
Tyutin (25 yrs old) $2.8 million a year for the next 4 years instead of
Redden (31 yrs old) $6.5 million for the next 6 years !!!
Backman was terrible, so Im glad to be rid of him, but to sign Redden for SIX years at a ridiculous cost and then trade Tyutin, who was their leading hitter and cost $4 million less. Because we overpaid for Redden, we're sitting here without Jagr or Avery, who were vital to this team.
Now, Zherdev is our largest scoring threat and there is not really any Dman that you'd call a hitter.
Messier - I hear ya man, I'm annoyed that Fedor is gone too. But think of it this way, Fristche is going to allow the Rangers to move Betts and Zherdev will probably skate with Gomez and form a really fast scoring line.
Redden gives the Rangers 3 offensive threats on the blue line (with Roszival and Staal) making each d-pair a threat.
Before you make up your mind, I would just suggest taking a step back and waiting to see how things play out. For what its worth, the Rangers have called a press conference for 4:30 this afternoon - no one knows why but it could be to announce a signing or trade that compliments these moves.
I doubt Betts will be going anywhere; hes one of Renney's favorites.
3 offensive threats ???? hahaha, staal was not a threat from the blueline, although I hope he does become one. Roszival had 40 points last year; which obviously means he should get 5 million a year.
No matter how you look at it the Rangers traded their home grown hitting Dman for some russian slacker ! Meanwhile they signed Redden for 6 years at a ridiculous cost. We'll see what happens at 430.
I dont think Zherdev and Gomez will strike fear into anyone.
Rangers just announced the signings of Dmitri Kalinin - a 6'3" 212lb physical defenseman from the Sabres as well as Markus Naslund to add to the scoring up front.
Sather said during the conf call that the Rangers are not making another offer to Jagr. They're sticking with the deal that's on the table and if he wants to take it he's welcome to it.
Here's my thinking on this. The Rangers invested a TON of money in Drury and Gomez but they still had to build a team that fit Jaromir Jagr. Now they are saying that Drury and Gomez are the leaders on the team, they are going to play an up and down rushing the puck style that suits those two.
Your top two lines will likely be:
Naslund-Gomez-Zhredev
Dawes-Drury-Callahan
Those are two lines that are going to get up and down the ice in a hurry, take lots of shots and pressure the opposing defenses - and then you factor in Dubinsky, Korpikoski, Ansimov, Rissmiller, Fristche, Prucha and Betts (if they're not traded) and then Orr, Hollweg and Voros to add some physical play - maybe a contribution from Jessiman at some point too.
Really I'm okay with everything up front, it's getting some beef for the blue line that I'm concerned with - that's why I could see them moving Betts and Prucha.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
