Saturday, August 16, 2008

Why Thank You, TDR..

Great post TDR, I am lovin' this guy already. I have probably watched that youtube clip 25 times this summer, sitting and waiting until the start of the season..or pre-season...or even the Traverse City Tourney. I have been hot on the trail of Nikolai Zherdev this summer, gaining as much knowledge on this SUPER talented Russian dangler. Zherdev can straight up play beautifuly, especially with the talented Gomerz/Drury and Dawes/Prucha/Naslund..netting 26 goals with a team that was 24th in the league in total shots on goal is pretty decent in my book. Zherdev is joining the Shootin' Rangers, ranking 3rd last year in total shots fired at those ever-expanding goalie pads. With Zherdev, he has a game that, to work efficiently, must be energetic, fast-paced and jam packed with insane highlights; he's going to have a ball in Manhattan, playing his heart out, for the first time of his career, on one of the biggest screens the NHL has to offer. That is why Zherdev is going to excel as a new comber in our big city; he's a guy that has the ability to ignite entire stadiums and his fellow players, he just hasn't been given the right opportunity to achieve this greatness yet. I believe that this young guys time has come, because when looking at his career stats and watching video on him, you cannot argue that this guy's offensive talent is at the elite level. Hopefully, by the end of this season, he will become a tremendous threat just as Datsyuk or Huselius. Hopefully.

One can only dream about the season beginning and watching some of our new guys mesh with our old guys like Naslund and Betts playing golf in Brooklyn and Redden and Girardi hangin' out at the bar after the game. Ahhhh, I believe that our Rangers squad has the potential to be THE team to beat in the Atlantic, but I can't deny the fact that this years "Sather Experiment" might turn out to be a flop and a huge disappointment. But my gut is telling me otherwise and the Rangers do indeed have all the necessary components to take their game to the next level, possibly the Conference Finals or hey, ya never know, the Cup.

It doesn't hurt to dream..

syr11

3 comments:

  1. Oh No!
    Here we go again...Comparing Zherdev to Datsyuk is crazy. Datsyuk is one of the top two way forwards in the league. Datsyuk is a franchise player and winner. Zherdev has great ability but his attitude and lack of being able to deliver on a consistant basis could be a big problem for the NYR.
    I agree with you 100% with Huselius
    as he has all the above problems and has been run out of 2 cities in 3 years.
    Zherdev will should deliver 30-35 goals this season coupled with 30-35 asssits and be a plus player.
    Good numbers for an emerging star but shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Datsyuk.

    Excited to cheer the NYR at the home opener! I'll be the fan in the #13 Mats Sundin Leaf jersey.

    BlueNationLeafs

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  2. While its hard to find anyone thats in the same dangling league as Kovi, I'd probably be most like to compare Zherdev to Kovalev. Super skillful, tons of potential...
    We want all of it, but how much of that we'll see when he's in a Rangers Jersey is anyones guess right now...
    - J

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