Drafted by Columbus in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the 4th overall pick. At the time, Columbus GM Doug MacLean stated that the team had Zherdev ranked #1 on their draft list.

 

The 2005-2006 season was a breakout year for Zherdev, who scored 27 goals and notched 27 assists in 73 games. He was the Blue Jackets' most potent offensive threat while Rick Nash recuperated from injury, and played most of the season on the team's first line. However, Zherdev has struggled to score consistently in the 2006-2007 season