Cervenka signs 3-year deal with SKA (KHL)

[Huntingwhale]

The guy barely spoke english. His wife just had a kid literally right before he left. Blood clot issue so no training camp. He was relegated to bottom 6 minutus (if he wasn't scratched). I don't see how anyone can hate on him for what he produced. I honestly think he could have hit 40+ points in a full season. All on a >1mil contract. The times I watched him play live he showed great skill and chemistry with Hudler. I'm in the boat that he wasn't as bad as everyone thought he was. He just had a tough time adapting to life in the NHL, plus he is older then a lot of rookies so he did'nt have the luxury of coming to Canada at a young age.

I wish him nothing but good luck. He showed a great amount of skill when he had the chance to play.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by liamenator

Aside from Damien Brunner, who had a nice year this year and looks like he'll be a good NHL player, who was the last undrafted European position player to come over a la Cervenka and actually become an impact player? I honestly can't think of one, certainly from the last 10 years, maybe even longer. Every year teams are scrambling to get these guys, and they almost never pan out.

Jiri Dopita, Fabien Brunnstrom, Mats Zuccarello, Roman Cervenka...

Not counting goalies, Rafalski 13 years ago might be the earliest. Probably forgetting someone but Rafalski was the last non-drafted "best player not in the NHL" to actually come over and make an impact that I recall.

Edit: Leino has potential to make the list as well I suppose. He dominated his league but wasn't touted as the best player not in the NHL, in fact he was the consolation prize after Detroit lost out on Brunnstrom that year.

[dammage79]

Kind of hard to judge how many teams would have been interested in Cervenka's services since they couldn't do anything about it until July 5.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Can't begrudge his decision. More money, more playing time, presumably more comfortable with the culture.

Good luck Roman.

[LouCypher]

Well best of luck to him, seems like he just wasn't going to get comfortable here or perhaps on any team in the NHL but who knows. Not a huge loss to us, but I did like some of what I saw in flashes.

[Vulcan]

For those bemoaning the fact that he won't return and should have been re-signed, where exactly would he play? We already have 5 LWers ahead of him.

[Machiavelli]

I was okay with giving him a try, but it didn't work out and I maintain that he isn't an NHL player.

Good luck to him in the KHL.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

For those bemoaning the fact that he won't return and should have been re-signed, where exactly would he play? We already have 5 LWers ahead of him.

His point production for the money he made, ranked him higher on my depth chart than the guys most would consider "ahead" of him.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

His point production for the money he made, ranked him higher on my depth chart than the guys most would consider "ahead" of him.

Points per $ is a silly way to judge him. He was a below average NHL player, I don't care if he was a bargain.

[nik-]

It will be interesting to see how Kuznetsov finally transitions to the NHL. The longer a player stays in that KHL environment probably makes it harder for them to ramp up their conditioning for the NHL game. Which might be another question mark for Nichushkin too.

[Kaine]

Some of the hostility for a player that was brought on in a NO RISK move, some of the hostility for the "scouting staff" that again attempted to make the team better with a NO RISK move is simply astounding.

Disappointed it didn't work out, best of luck in the KHL Cervenka

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Really disappointing.

Loved his skill, was never given a proper chance by Hartley.

Tough for a coach to give a player a chance that is that much of a liability except when he's in the offensive end.

He wasn't good enough offensively to make up for the areas he lacked in.

Frankly I admire the guy for giving it a crack. A lot of guys like him never try. I don't begrudge him or fault him at all - and hope he does well back in the KHL.

But he didn't fit in the NHL.

[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

The irony here is that most of his goals were a result of his failure to scamper back to his own zone. He benefitted numerous times being late coming back and somebody connecting with a long pass while he was way behind the play.

He really added nothing to the team and it is not a big loss.

Well he scored 9 goals so I'm sure its no problem for you to find 5 youtube vids proving your claim?

[StrykerSteve]

Mike Halford ‏@HalfordPHT 12m

Cervenka's memories of his one and only NHL season: "Lockout, 48 games in 99 days, and my team traded away all the good players at the end."

[CalgaryFan1988]

Some things are getting to be regular around here. As soon as a player leaves the Flames numerous people pile on saying they were crap.

I wish him nothing but the best. Too bad it didn't work out, I know from reading he was really anxious to prove himself.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Not counting goalies, Rafalski 13 years ago might be the earliest. Probably forgetting someone but Rafalski was the last non-drafted "best player not in the NHL" to actually come over and make an impact that I recall.

Edit: Leino has potential to make the list as well I suppose. He dominated his league but wasn't touted as the best player not in the NHL, in fact he was the consolation prize after Detroit lost out on Brunnstrom that year.

Antti Niemi was a success too. Signed from Finland by Chicago. Same with Nicklas Backstrom, again signed out of Finland by Minnesota. Still, undrafted Europeans/Russians have a low success rate in the NHL, but goalies may be a safer bet. Hopefully one of the goalies Feaster is so high on turn out for us.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Some things are getting to be regular around here. As soon as a player leaves the Flames numerous people pile on saying they were crap.

Weird post
Is it your position that he played well?

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Some things are getting to be regular around here. As soon as a player leaves the Flames numerous people pile on saying they were crap.

I wish him nothing but the best. Too bad it didn't work out, I know from reading he was really anxious to prove himself.

I don't know if people are saying he was crap. For me he just didn't fit on the Flames. We have too many LWs and too many non physical players. He may have fit on another NHL team that would value his offence. He was pretty lights out when 1 on 1 with a goalie.

I never questioned his work ethic which is when I might call a player crap. I understood he wasn't in the best of condition because of injury so he had a tough row to hoe. One good thing, by going to the KHL, he won't be coming back to haunt us on another team.

[you got PHANUEFED]

They guy wasn't NHL material, All the best to him in the KHL . The Flames now have a boat load of cash going into the off season I just hope they spend it wisely and surround the kids with decent vets to help them along.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Some things are getting to be regular around here. As soon as a player leaves the Flames numerous people pile on saying they were crap.

This can probably be attributed to the Flames employing a large number of crappy players.