Report: Nikolai Zherdev, KHL team cut ties
Nikolai Zherdev and Lev Praha of the KHL have cut ties just one month after the Russian forward signed a one-year deal with the team.
Nikolai Zherdev terminated contract with Czech #Lev of #KHL at his own request just month after signing and is UFA now
— Igor Eronko (@IgorEronko) September 2, 2013
Zherdev made headlines late in July when he reportedly started a brawl in a nightclub and smashed his Bentley at a luxury village in Moscow. At that time, Prague club sports director Rashid Khabibulin was quoted as having said "if you think that the club will take some steps ... it will not happen. We will not cancel a contract with Nicholas."
Now, according to Igor Eronko of Sports.ru, it appears as though the league has stepped in.
#KHL prez Alex Medvedev: 'As far as we know, Nikolai Zherdev painted the town red again. He will be committed to compulsory ADA treatment'
— Igor Eronko (@IgorEronko) September 2, 2013
The 4th overall pick from the 2003 NHL Entry Draft scored 115 goals and 146 assists in 421 NHL games, and has been playing in the KHL for the past 2 years. Zherdev was not one of the 35 players invited to Russia's pre-Olympic hockey camp held in August.