[Erick Estrada]

I'm not giving up on Cervenka yet but after 14 games you would think he would be pretty close to game shape. He's had a lot of chances in games and getting chances tells me he's being somewhat effective. He certainly looks a little soft (I remember us all talking about how soft Pavel Datsyuk was when he broke into the league and when the Flames beat the Wings in 2004 and it takes time for some of these Euros and you need to be patient with them) and seems to be the poster boy for what currently ails the head coach. We can only hope that next time he gets into the lineup he is more effective but it's simply not going to happen if Hartley continues to place him on the 4th line. Hartley is kind of hard to read. He's got to assume he's got a least a couple of seasons before the Flames ownership considers letting him go yet he's coaching like he's coaching for his job making some desperation type moves. At the beginning of the season we all thought for the Flames to make the playoffs certain players would have to have rebound years and Cervenka and Hudler would have to be good. Well Cervenka isn't going to be good if he's not playing or on the 4th line and if he isn't getting experience now it's hard to imagine him helping down the stretch if a playoff spot may be on the line.