More on Patrick Marleau to Columbus for Nikolai Zherdev trade rumor

Two thumbs down on both trade suggestions proffered from the Columbus media so far. No to the initial suggestion of Patrick Marleau and a player to be named later for Nikolai Zherdev and the #6 overall draft pick in 2008. Also, no to any combination of Nikolai Zherdev, Dan Fritsche or Stefan Legein and the #19 pick coming to San Jose for Patrick Marleau.

Rumors are starting to spread throughout the NHL now about a possible Blue Jackets trade with the Sharks. The rumor over the weekend was Nikolai Zherdev, Dan Fritsche or Stefan Legein and the No. 19 pick to San Jose for Patrick Marleau. I spent most of Saturday pursuing this and was told by a handful of close-to-the-situation sources that there's no truth to it, that the two clubs have not put together the framework of any specific trade as of yet. No names have been mentioned.

More detailed thoughts on the trade rumors are up on Sharkspage. Other free agent defenseman on the market if Brian Campbell can not be re-signed: Montreal's Mark Streit, Blue Jackets defenseman Ron Hainsey, Ottawa's Wade Redden, and even former Shark Brad Stuart.

The Sharks can do better than Zherdev in a Marleau trade

Nikolai Zherdev is the kind of hockey player who could live a totally separate life on YouTube and in the icy worlds of Electronic Arts hockey games. He is, at times, a poor man's Rick Nash on a Columbus Blue Jackets team with precious few attractions.



But all of these facts do not detract from the argument that the Sharks could probably find a better deal if they're going to trade Patrick Marleau. Now, I know the 6th pick in the draft would (allegedly) be involved, but although the Sharks are a young team they'd have to be drinking the Upside Kool-Aid to make a deal this foolish.

Although I'll admit I felt much more confident about my stance before looking at Marleau's abysmal 2007-08 regular season stats. Yeeesh.

Still, my post-3 OT, 3 a.m., hasty gut reaction is that Marleau is much better than his stats would tell you and that Zherdev has locker room cancer written all over him (not exactly the magic potion for a Sharks team many feel is in need of a heart transplant). Not to mention the fact that, even on a bad team, being a career -52 in three seasons is a tangible sign of a faulty hockey player.

Then again, I'm no Sharks expert. I'll let the our superior trio of Shark Snarks handle the majority of what I'm sure will be quite a busy sowing circle regarding The Guy Who Was Drafted After Jumbo Joe.

Credit goes to Greg W(ishinsffkskfskfsi...seriously, that guy has a devilishly hard-to-spell last name), the Ultimo Dragon of hockey bloggers, for bringing this rumor to my attention.