Former Flames in the KHL...

[moon]

Originally Posted by T@T

Had Cervenka started the year healthy I think the story would have been different, his injury caused him to be in really bad shape.

Plenty of guys had injuries and didn't look so terribly out of place. He wasn't just out of shape and slow he looked awful out there most of the time.

Also, his blood clot doesn't explain he lack of defensive awareness or softness on the boards.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Small guys, big ice. Do the math. But if you think that everyone that can't produce in the NHL sucks, then I guess you're right, but to me that's a little small minded. The NHL is just for the best. Lots of good hockey players don't make it for whatever reason and lots of good hockey being played outside the NHL.

Leland Irving has had a good start in Finland: 1.52 gaa, 94.05%.

Let's face it, the level of competition is lower too. It's somewhere between the NHL and AHL. Some players have a skill set that allows them to dominate in a slightly lower level of hockey. Those players, however, get drowend out as soon as the level of competition raises.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by blankall

Let's face it, the level of competition is lower too. It's somewhere between the NHL and AHL. Some players have a skill set that allows them to dominate in a slightly lower level of hockey. Those players, however, get drowend out as soon as the level of competition raises.

EDIT: Doesn't mean they "suck".

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by blankall

Let's face it, the level of competition is lower too. It's somewhere between the NHL and AHL. Some players have a skill set that allows them to dominate in a slightly lower level of hockey. Those players, however, get drowend out as soon as the level of competition raises.

I bet Chuck Kobasew could have had 600 goals and 1300 points by now if he played in the KHL

[OzSome]

I think Cervenka could have play a lot better in Calgary if they let him play in his natural position rather than putting on the wing. Hartley and Feaster was scared that Cervenka will have problem adapting defensively. He didn't really got a fair chance here in Calgary. I thought he was good and skilled offensively. His injury didn't help though. I think he'll stay in Europe until he retires.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by OzSome

I think Cervenka could have play a lot better in Calgary if they let him play in his natural position rather than putting on the wing. Hartley and Feaster was scared that Cervenka will have problem adapting defensively. He didn't really got a fair chance here in Calgary. I thought he was good and skilled offensively. His injury didn't help though. I think he'll stay in Europe until he retires.

Problem was in Russia he played centre offensively but in his own zone would play the wing essentially...not sure that is an option in the nhl

[Beer-gut Murray]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Fata plays in Granlund's and Ortio's former team HIFK. No idea how he has looked.

I can never tell anymore whether we are talking about the player or the swear word. Hmmm....

[neo45]

Cervenka (with proper conditioning) was definitely good enough to be in the NHL. Problem is, he would be pretty much the exact player that Hudler is. Flames are deep with small skilled wingers (relatively speaking) and it would make more sense to give that playing time to a younger guy.

Really liked Cervenka during his short tumultuous time here. Glad to see he is doing well

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by OzSome

I think Cervenka could have play a lot better in Calgary if they let him play in his natural position rather than putting on the wing. Hartley and Feaster was scared that Cervenka will have problem adapting defensively. He didn't really got a fair chance here in Calgary. I thought he was good and skilled offensively. His injury didn't help though. I think he'll stay in Europe until he retires.

Cervenka didn't score too many and at least a couple were a function of his being way behind the backcheck when circumstances set him up with time and space. Not a good 2 way game, but he didn't grow up playing with that emphasis.

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Cervenka didn't score too many and at least a couple were a function of his being way behind the backcheck when circumstances set him up with time and space. Not a good 2 way game, but he didn't grow up playing with that emphasis.

How can you score a lot if you are playing less than 5 minutes or being a healthy scratch a lot? I agree he is not good defensively and I think his confidence went down because he's used to playing a lot and playing centre. I am not saying he could have been dominant player but we didn't know that because Hartley practically gave up on the guy early in the season.

[moon]

Originally Posted by OzSome

How can you score a lot if you are playing less than 5 minutes or being a healthy scratch a lot? I agree he is not good defensively and I think his confidence went down because he's used to playing a lot and playing centre. I am not saying he could have been dominant player but we didn't know that because Hartley practically gave up on the guy early in the season.

He "gave up on him early" because he was brutal both defensively and with the puck. He had a very few nice plays that perhaps clouds the mind to how often he easily lost the puck or did a whole lot of nothing with it.

Every player has the chance that they could have done something but Cerevenka did nothing all year long to show that he would do anything more than try and make a fancy play a few times and spend the majority of his time losing puck battles and watching the play go by him.

[devo22]

Red Bull Salzburg have released Mitch Wahl today ... they apparently had a clause that they could release him at any time in the first months of the contract, and since he was disappointing in his first 5 league games (1 assist) and couldn't earn a scoring role on the team, they decided to cut him loose.

It speaks values if you get released so early in a league where Jamie Lundmark is a prolific scorer. If you can't stick in Austria, your career in Europe is pretty much over except for small leagues like France or the Netherlands. Apparently he'll fly back to NA tomorrow ... another ECHL stint is my guess.

[SuperMatt18]

Feel bad for the kid. Just wasn't the same player after his concussions.