Player Discussion Peter Cehlarik - II

[BruinsFanSince94]

I would shop his rights in the offseason to whoever the teams that supposedly really like him. Get a 3rd, recoup what you used on him, and try again.

 

[elMatador]

I was surprised he was not traded by the trade deadline. Even more he was called up afterwards again. I guess mainly due to the injuries to Pasta and Johansson. That relationship between Cassidy and Cehlarik was not going anywhere since the preseason. All the recent benching and calling out stuff just messed with Cehlarik's head to the point his game and offensive instincts has completely disappeared.

 

[DominicT]

Or maybe he never had it?

I want to see a player beyond his first 5 games. Sometimes adrenaline takes over and we are blinded. Once that wears off, you get what you see.

I just never saw all the love he was getting.

 

[BruinDust]

Or maybe he never had it?

I want to see a player beyond his first 5 games. Sometimes adrenaline takes over and we are blinded. Once that wears off, you get what you see.

I just never saw all the love he was getting.

The more Cehlarik played the more you could start to see why Cassidy has concerns about his game. I found he was a very high risk/high reward passing the puck. He'd make some fantastic passes, and he'd also make some passes that were very questionable. He loves the one-touch or quick pass. He doesn't seem to have much composure with the puck, doesn't like to carry it, and seems to resort to passing it off way too often IMO.

Then factor in he's not the fleetest of foot, he basically has to move his feet every shift to be effective, and he doesn't do that consistently.

 

[Chief Nine]

Or maybe he never had it?

I want to see a player beyond his first 5 games. Sometimes adrenaline takes over and we are blinded. Once that wears off, you get what you see.

I just never saw all the love he was getting.

Well Dom, as one of those who thought he was going to be a very good player, all I can say is this is why you do what you do, and why I do what I do for a living!

 

[dafoomie]

I'm glad they didn't give up on Marchand after his first 20 game call up.

The team gets a lot of criticism for their drafting but not so much for their development, it's a discussion that needs to be had. Cassidy announced during camp that Donato was guaranteed a roster spot and ice time and it killed any leverage he had to get him to work on his bad habits. That failed, so now he's taking the hardass approach with Cehlarik. Julien believed in accountability too, but he also believed in teaching moments and putting people in a position to succeed. No one is going to make it in a situation where they're a spectator for two periods after their first mistake.

Cehlarik's deficiencies are obvious but he's the last one standing out of the guys everyone swore up and down would provide secondary scoring. Cassidy wants a 3rd line that can do both, but you go to war with the army you have. They can have a 3rd line that gives them a little offense but needs to be sheltered, or they can have one that gives them nothing at all. They're going with nothing and liking it.

 

[CDJ]

He was scratched in providence for his play away from the puck. That happened this year.

He’s just not NHL caliber in that regard. The last straw was the blown assignment in the game in which Cassidy called him out in the postgame. Couple that with some careless turnovers and you can see why he’s going down to providence

Would I prefer him over Nordstrom? Sure. But I’d prefer neither of them tbh

 

[BigGoalBrad]

He was scratched in providence for his play away from the puck. That happened this year.

He’s just not NHL caliber in that regard. The last straw was the blown assignment in the game in which Cassidy called him out in the postgame. Couple that with some careless turnovers and you can see why he’s going down to providence

Would I prefer him over Nordstrom? Sure. But I’d prefer neither of them tbh

Our other prospects are trainwrecks. I stick with him and think he can be part of a good third line going forward.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

needs to be better but shouldn't be the number 1 guy to sit IMO

 

[CDJ]

Yeah I completely disregarded that Ferris guys tweet when he said he was playing well. That’s what happens when you watch too many heat maps instead of hockey games

I can understand the argument for wanting him over Carey but that’s just absurd to suggest he’s playing well

 

[Sheppy]

Never, ever been sold on Cehlarik.

 

[bruinshoper]

I still think he has the skills and size to be at least a productive bottom 6 NHL player. Guess time will tell.

 

[CDJ]

He absolutely has the tools, it’s just a matter of whether he has the toolbox to put them in. I’m not sure that he does. Maybe he will get better with time but it’s never good when you repeat mistakes

 

[Blowfish]

His confidence was dwindling with each game played. Saw the same with Donato and Heinen.

I don’t think he was meant to play Cassidy’s game. Which I get. Hope he finds a home and NHL career. He has the tools.

 

[Kalus]

if he was on a team that didn't demand as much defensive responsibility, I think he could be a decent 2nd liner. Always reminded me of Josef Stumpel.

 

[Over the volcano]

if he was on a team that didn't demand as much defensive responsibility, I think he could be a decent 2nd liner. Always reminded me of Josef Stumpel.

They’re just getting crushed by the constant stream of prospects- the window for each to show what they can do and develop an NHL game gets shorter and shorter because of the next guys coming down the pipeline. Donato got half a season, people are writing off Chelarik after 20 games. Bjork’s injury gives him longer.

 

[LSCII]

Or maybe he never had it?

I want to see a player beyond his first 5 games. Sometimes adrenaline takes over and we are blinded. Once that wears off, you get what you see.

I just never saw all the love he was getting.

Amen to that. The 2 years of clamoring and pissing and moaning that he wasn't on the second line with Krejci was a lot to take.

 

[LSCII]

if he was on a team that didn't demand as much defensive responsibility, I think he could be a decent 2nd liner. Always reminded me of Josef Stumpel.

You're on to something there. Maybe try letting these young guys play to their strengths instead of changing everything about their games would be a better strategy?

 

[NDiesel]

Random thought - I feel like his skills and size would have translated better at the center position. He reminds me a lot of Soderberg, but he hasn't figured out how to use his frame yet - could see him being a late bloomer.

 

[LSCII]

needs to be better but shouldn't be the number 1 guy to sit IMO

Nordstrom literally brings nothing. To the point where he's statistically dead last in the league for producing. That cannot be a guy you continually roll out there. Even a rookie/young guy that makes mistakes but has some upside is a better option, imo...

 

[LSCII]

I'm glad they didn't give up on Marchand after his first 20 game call up.

The team gets a lot of criticism for their drafting but not so much for their development, it's a discussion that needs to be had. Cassidy announced during camp that Donato was guaranteed a roster spot and ice time and it killed any leverage he had to get him to work on his bad habits. That failed, so now he's taking the hardass approach with Cehlarik. Julien believed in accountability too, but he also believed in teaching moments and putting people in a position to succeed. No one is going to make it in a situation where they're a spectator for two periods after their first mistake.

Cehlarik's deficiencies are obvious but he's the last one standing out of the guys everyone swore up and down would provide secondary scoring. Cassidy wants a 3rd line that can do both, but you go to war with the army you have. They can have a 3rd line that gives them a little offense but needs to be sheltered, or they can have one that gives them nothing at all. They're going with nothing and liking it.

I've been very consistent with banging the drum about the drafting not being the problem. I've been saying it for 2-3 years now that it's how they're developing that's been making their drafts look poor. I even said that if they had drafted Barzal, he wouldn't be what we see him be in NYI.

 

[BruinDust]

Nordstrom literally brings nothing. To the point where he's statistically dead last in the league for producing. That cannot be a guy you continually roll out there. Even a rookie/young guy that makes mistakes but has some upside is a better option, imo...

Nordstrom is the new "Zero-Zone Champion" of the Boston Bruins. At this point he's only slightly better than former champ, the great Joonas Kemppainen.

 

[ODAAT]

His confidence was dwindling with each game played. Saw the same with Donato and Heinen.

I don’t think he was meant to play Cassidy’s game. Which I get. Hope he finds a home and NHL career. He has the tools.

I don`t think Butch is being unreasonable with wanting players like Cehlarik commit to, at the very least, working hard in all 3 zones. Pasta is far from a defensive whiz kid but he puts the effort in, Cehlarik plays like he gives 0 craps about his own zone.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

I'm glad they didn't give up on Marchand after his first 20 game call up.

The team gets a lot of criticism for their drafting but not so much for their development, it's a discussion that needs to be had. Cassidy announced during camp that Donato was guaranteed a roster spot and ice time and it killed any leverage he had to get him to work on his bad habits. That failed, so now he's taking the hardass approach with Cehlarik. Julien believed in accountability too, but he also believed in teaching moments and putting people in a position to succeed. No one is going to make it in a situation where they're a spectator for two periods after their first mistake.

Cehlarik's deficiencies are obvious but he's the last one standing out of the guys everyone swore up and down would provide secondary scoring. Cassidy wants a 3rd line that can do both, but you go to war with the army you have. They can have a 3rd line that gives them a little offense but needs to be sheltered, or they can have one that gives them nothing at all. They're going with nothing and liking it.

I’m not being a smartass, asking seriously, but the last one standing out of which group of prospects that people thought would provide secondary scoring?

Heinen and DeBrusk are providing that, Donato didn’t and was traded, Bjork didn’t and was hurt. I don’t have Frederic in the same category because of age/experience, so that leaves Senyshyn. I’m not sure anyone was counting on him for secondary scoring this year?

I think Cehlarik can be an effective NHL player in the right situation, but your opening line about Marchand is kind of ridiculous. I watched Marchand a fair amount at the AHL level, he was much better than Cehlarik and a dominant player at that level. The other difference was that the B’s brought Marchand up and after the first 6/7 games, he was relegated to a 4th line role. Marchand was able to play in the Bottom 3 for the rest of that year and the beginning of the next, learn the NHL game and then transition into a bigger role. He was also a much better defensive player than Cehlarik.

IMO, Cehlarik is not capable of doing that in the system that Boston runs. He’s a guy that needs to play with skill guys or else he doesn’t give you much of anything. I will say that if/when the B’s are healthy and the third line has MoJo/Heinen and Coyle there, I would prefer Cehlarik to Backes or Nordstrom as the third member of that line. The other two players will be defensively responsible and have enough skill to make Cehlarik an effective option. What’s more likely to happen is that Backes will slot on there and the B’s will have a decision to make on Cehlarik in the offseason.


ps Speaking of adrenaline, Donato had 2g/5a in his first five games with MIN, and 2a (in the same game) in the last five games. Is this going to be reminiscent of last year when he had 7 pts in 7 games to start with the B’s and then tailed off, or will he find a second wind?

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

He's a good offensive player but confidence seems to be a big factor on his game. Examples like the beginning of the season where he should have made the team out of camp because he was the best player out of the group he was competing with, but was sent down and his game struggled. Also, this most recent stint up where he started off really well, got benched a few times, and his game plummeted.

Cehlarik may be one of those guys that needs to be with top roster talent to produce, and even then it's not consistent enough. It would have been nice to see him on a 3rd line with Coyle and one of Johansson/Heinen. He struggled with Backes, like every player did. That would have been a way to really see if he can produce with that "next tier" talent.

I do hope that Boston trades his rights and doesn't let him walk by not qualifying him if they don't plan to bring him back. However, seeing they let Connolly and Czarnik in that fashion, Cehlarik may follow that route.