Meet the newest Canadien
Russian Nikita Scherbak, projects as a dynamic point producer in the NHL
Only time will tell whether Nikita Scherbak measures up to general manager Marc Bergevin’s projection as a top-six forward, but the Russian displayed a top-six personality after he was selected by the Canadiens in the first round (26th overall) at the National Hockey League draft Friday night.
For someone who couldn’t speak English when he arrived in Saskatoon nine months ago, Scherbak displayed equal amounts of charm, humour and confidence in his first encounter with the Montreal media.
“Oh my God, there are so many people,” Scherbak said as he mounted the podium after his selection.
Scherbak, who was the Saskatoon Blades’ most valuable player after scoring 28 goals and 65 points in 54 games as a Western Hockey League rookie, said the biggest adjustment he had to make was the language.
“The first month I was just using my hands, but I talked to people and that’s how I learned,” Scherbak said. “Maybe now I have to learn French.”
Some NHL teams have been reluctant to draft Russian players because they might return home to play in the Kontinental Hockey League and that could be the reason Scherbak was still around for the Canadiens after being ranked 15th by Central Scouting. Scherbak eased those fears by saying he went to Saskatoon because his dream is to “play in the NHL against the best players in the world. I’m not thinking of the KHL.”
He went on to say that the Canadiens were his favourite NHL team because of players like Andrei Markov and Alex Kovalev. But when asked about his favourite NHL player, Scherbak said it was Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
When asked what he knew about Montreal, Scherbak smiled and replied: “Merci, bonjour.” He went on to say he was impressed by the atmosphere at the Bell Centre from games he watched on TV.
Bergevin said he was impressed with the confidence Scherbak displayed in his interview with the team Thursday.
“I think back to when I was his age and I didn’t have the same confidence when talking to NHL teams,” Bergevin said.
Scherbak is listed at 6-foot-1 and 172 pounds, but said he’s an inch taller and weighs 190 pounds, although “I haven’t eaten for two days because I was so nervous. I was eating my fingernails.”
He described himself as a playmaker rather than a scorer. Bergervin said the Canadiens were impressed with Scherbak’s speed and vision on the ice and added: “It’s up to him how long it takes to get to the NHL, but we see him as a top-six forward. He’ll come to our development camp and Marty Lapointe and Patrice Brisebois will take it from there.”
Bergevin said Russian players like Markov, Alexei Emelin and Alex Galchenyuk could provide Scherbak with a support system, although his performance Friday indicated that Scherbak won’t need help with the language.
The selection came amid a flurry of reports Bergevin was speaking with his counterparts from St. Louis, Anaheim and Los Angeles about a possible trade. Bergevin admitted he was prepared to trade the pick if Scherbak wasn’t available.
The word going into the draft was that there were five players who stood out and, predictably, they were the first five players drafted.
Florida general manager Dale Tallon teasingly sug- gested he might trade the No. 1 overall pick, but he hung on to it and selected Aaron Ekblad of the Barrie Colts. He became the first Canadian defenceman to be selected No. 1 overall since Ottawa picked Chris Phillips in 1996.
The other top prospects fell in order.
Kootenay centre Sam Reinhart became the third of former NHLer Paul Reinhart’s kids to be drafted when Buffalo selected him at No. 2. Brother Max was selected in the third round by Calgary in 2010 and defenceman Griffin was the fourth overall pick by the New York Islanders in 2012.
Prince Albert centre Leon Draisaitl became the highest-drafted German player when Edmonton picked him at No. 3, while Kingston left-winger Sam Bennett, who was ranked No. 1 on several lists, went to Calgary. The fifth member of the top group, Oshawa left-winger Michael Dal Colle, went to the Islanders.
Reinhart wasn’t the only son of a former NHL player selected in the first round. Michael Nylander’s son, William, went to Toronto with the eighth pick. He’s a centre with Modo in the Swedish League
The first player selected from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League was Nikolai Ehlers from the Halifax Mooseheads, who was selected by Winnipeg at No. 9. The native of Denmark had 49 goals and 104 points in 63 games.
The vocal crowd jeered NHL commissioner Gary Bettman throughout the round and also showered abuse on rivals like New Jersey and Pittsburgh, even when the Penguins drafted Kasperi Kapanen, the son of former Flyer Sami Kapanen.
The draft continues Saturday with rounds 2 through 7. The Canadiens don’t have a pick in the second round.
Coyotes dump Ribeiro: The Phoenix Coyotes became the latest team to fall out of love with centre Mike Ribeiro, who started his career with the Canadiens. The Coyotes bought him out with three years remaining on a fouryear contract. During his time in Phoenix, Ribeiro reportedly missed meetings and team buses, was late for practice and engaged in a shouting match with coach Dave Tippett after a game in Colorado. The Montreal native had a career-low 16 goals and 47 points in 80 games with the Coyotes.