Revisiting the man, the myth, the legend, Roman Cechmanek

[Beef Invictus]

I don't think I will ever decide how I feel about Roman. What a weird case.

 

[David St Hubbins]

In all seriousness, this guy REALLY could have been a legend. He was a very good goalie. Although technically a mess, he could stop the puck. Aloof, fair weather team mate, maybe a 1st class ******. Compared to Hasek, who looked like he was shot by a .308 any time someone skated within 3 feet of him? Put Cechmanek on that Red WIngs team and there would be "oh what could have been" stories written left right an center about this weird mother ****er.

 

[OzFlyers]

I was hoping he was the one!

 

[Hockeyholic]

One game Cechmanek looked like a world beater. The next, he looked like an ECHL back up.

 

[Jray42]

Cechmanek was the first Flyers goalie I can remember. I was about six or seven during his main years here, and thats also the age I first got into sports. I don't remember too much about him but I remember thinking he was pretty good.

 

[eramosat]

JR didnt have anything nice to say about him the year they were eliminated from the playoffs his last year in Philly. As talented as he was its odd he wasnt given a shot beyond that 1 final year in LA after he was traded.
of course he shut the Flyers out when he was with LA in his only start against them

Wow! JR didn't have anything nice to say about him? A guy who had trouble understanding comic books?

When Philly fans learn to stop crucifying their goalies, they will end up much happier.

 

[eramosat]

I don't think I will ever decide how I feel about Roman. What a weird case.

It's pretty clear to me...

Roman was way way better than average, and was rode out of town because of some weird insecurity Philly fans have about their goalkeepers.

You are simply infected like most Philly fans. No biggie.

 

[Cyborg LeClair]

It's pretty clear to me...

Roman was way way better than average, and was rode out of town because of some weird insecurity Philly fans have about their goalkeepers.

You are simply infected like most Philly fans. No biggie.

He wasnt driven out by fans or media, he blew up on his teammates and they didnt want to play with him

Dont you remember the playoff game where he was screaming at the bench as he left and went into the lockerroom?

And i say this as one of his biggest fans. I loved that guy

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Blaming the fans & media when it's documented his own teammates forced him out is a pretty dumb take. Cechmanek didn't last long here because his teammates went to management & told them to get rid of the guy.

Whether their gripes were legitimate or not who knows but that's why he didn't last long here.

 

[swflyers93]

Not an unlucky bounce, he lost his catching glove and went to pick it up.

And the "Cranium Carom".

Man, we seem to get all the colorful goalies in the league. Hextall, Cechmanek, Biron, Emery. What a bunch.

 

[GKJ]

When he got went to LA, sure.

.906 in the last year of the dead puck put him 25th out of 30 goalies with 40 GP, and it wasn't the fault on anyone on the Flyers that was his final year in the NHL.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?agg...32004&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,40&sort=savePctg

LA was also a significantly worse team that became a MASH unit. Goaltenders who post 3 very good seasons like he did and had a terrible year 4 typically get another chance, so his reputation certainly was the driving force in him being out of the league, along with the thought that he never really wanted to be in the NHL in the first place.

 

[zarley zelepukin]

The season after he was with the Kings was also the lockout year, and he was in his mid-30s when the league started play again. So age, plus a reputation that would likely have gotten him the "enigmatic" label makes it not too surprising that he didn't return. If he even wanted to.

He's got to rank pretty high up on this franchise's all-time goalies list, which we know gets dicey after the top 3.

 

[joez86]

I have blocked those seasons from my mind, mostly. He was so good, but the playoffs were such disasters (for the team, not Cechmanek alone) that I try not to think about them too much. Plus, 2004 being such a "better" outcome makes it that much harder to want to reminisce about the Cechmanek years, and Robert Esche was really good for that entire first season as the starter. I thought, at the time, that he would easily replace Cechmanek, without the added sideshow from the media (lol, fat chance).

I do remember being at Game 6 in 2003 against Ottawa. We actually left before the third period after Ottawa scored to make it 4-0. The building felt like a funeral home. Awful.

 

[johnsherdy10]

I loved Cechmanek

 

[Rebels57]

Cechmanek was basically Tim Thomas before Tim Thomas