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How did Cervenka never become a Nhler?

Easy answer - no physical tools. Many players are in the same boat, Omark is the poster boy for this too. They are neither fast, nor strong, nor particularly elusive skaters. Considering they had to be offered contracts competitive with top offers from Europe, it just wasn't particularly worth it for either side.
 
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Eye of Ra said:
Just look at him. He is 39 and dominates in this WC. Imagine how good he was in his prime. If a guy like Marcus Johansson have and is an Nhler how did Cervenka not turn into one?
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He played 39 games with Calgary, scored 17 points (9+8), which wasn't a bad start at all. Then he, quite surprisingly, terminated the contract and returned to Europe. My guess: He has "always" been the type of player who needed and required to be a leader, the man the team was relying on. In this role he can still play his best hockey. There have always been players of this kind and it is completely fine. But obviously you can't come to the NHL and immediately have this role. He was feeling unfomfortable having to compete for his spot in the line-up etc. So he decided to return to Europe. Which is every player's right and if he was feeling Europe would be a better place for him as a player, it is completely OK.
 
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BigBadBoar said:
He played 39 games with Calgary, scored 17 points (9+8), which wasn't a bad start at all. Then he, quite surprisingly, terminated the contract and returned to Europe. My guess: He has "always" been the type of player who needed and required to be a leader, the man the team was relying on. In this role he can still play his best hockey. There have always been players of this kind and it is completely fine. But obviously you can't come to the NHL and immediately have this role. He was feeling unfomfortable having to compete for his spot in the line-up etc. So he decided to return to Europe. Which is every player's right and if he was feeling Europe would be a better place for him as a player, it is completely OK.
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Or it's simply about dollars and cents. His contract was 925k + bonuses and while 9+8 isn't bad, it probably didn't hit most, if any, of that bonus money. While in Russia, at the time, he easily made 1,5-2 mil tax free dollars. Losing 1 million dollars per year for pie in the sky NHL dream isn't for everyone.
 
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SoundAndFury said:
Or it's simply about dollars and cents. His contract was 925k + bonuses and while 9+8 isn't bad, it probably didn't hit most, if any, of that bonus money. While in Russia, at the time, he easily made 1,5-2 mil tax free dollars. Losing 1 million dollars per year for pie in the sky NHL dream isn't for everyone.
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Only the player himself knows. Of course they used to be offerring insane money to players in Russia back then. I don't know Červenka personally so I really don't dare to guess what his real motivations had been. It could as well be about him being not exactly young and not able/willing to adapt to the slighly different lifestyle. Also, NHL is specific in the fact that they are playing insane 82 games per regular season. The games are following in a really quick order. Some players are not the right types for that because they need slightly more time to rest between games. We can but speculate.
 
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BigBadBoar said:
He played 39 games with Calgary, scored 17 points (9+8), which wasn't a bad start at all. Then he, quite surprisingly, terminated the contract and returned to Europe. My guess: He has "always" been the type of player who needed and required to be a leader, the man the team was relying on. In this role he can still play his best hockey. There have always been players of this kind and it is completely fine. But obviously you can't come to the NHL and immediately have this role. He was feeling unfomfortable having to compete for his spot in the line-up etc. So he decided to return to Europe. Which is every player's right and if he was feeling Europe would be a better place for him as a player, it is completely OK.
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Cervenka missed the start of that season with the Flames with a blood clot and never really found his footing after that
 
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He played 38 games and 17 pts
Looking at tht he was definitely good enough.
But then I searched his khl salary for the year after tht... 3.9 MILLION
KHL money is TAX FREE
So it was probably money not because he not good enough
 
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Fil said:
He played 38 games and 17 pts
Looking at tht he was definitely good enough.
But then I searched his khl salary for the year after tht... 3.9 MILLION
KHL money is TAX FREE
So it was probably money not because he not good enough
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KHL money isn't tax free.
 
Eye of Ra said:
Just look at him. He is 39 and dominates in this WC. Imagine how good he was in his prime. If a guy like Marcus Johansson have and is an Nhler how did Cervenka not turn into one?
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It’s funny, I was thinking the exact same thing last night.

Fil said:
I read something tht it was?
I mean i believe you because u are from Russia. But aren't taxes really low in russia?
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I don’t know if they’re supposed to be tax free, but I’ve heard players tell crazy stories about playing for mob bosses and receiving their salary in a plastic bag full of cash.
 
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Yozhik v tumane said:
It’s funny, I was thinking the exact same thing last night.



I don’t know if they’re supposed to be tax free, but I’ve heard players tell crazy stories about playing for mob bosses and receiving their salary in a plastic bag full of cash.
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I mean the bonuses make up for the minimal tax. So we can speculate he made that whole 3.9 million
 
Yozhik v tumane said:
I don’t know if they’re supposed to be tax free, but I’ve heard players tell crazy stories about playing for mob bosses and receiving their salary in a plastic bag full of cash.
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That only really applies to a select few village teams nobody cares about, not really applicable to the elite teams Cervenka played for.
 
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SoundAndFury said:
That only really applies to a select few village teams nobody cares about, not really applicable to the elite teams Cervenka played for.
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But I also heard reports that lots of khl teams pay a lot under the table. Idk if that's true but it's definitely possible
 
My guess is money. Top line and more money in KHL. Shame, he's obviously really good. Agree with physical tools.. he is all about hockey IQ. Not speed or size.

Crazy thing. He was jagrs preferred linemate and now pastas preferred linemate. He has good taste
 
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