Stats courtesy of hockeyreference.com and eliteprospects.com
Next up on my list is forward Peter Cehlarik! Cehlarik played in 20 games for the Bruins last season, in which he produced four goals and two assists. He also appeared in 53 games for the Bruins’ AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, last season, through which he tallied 12 goals and 26 assists. He then played in four playoff games for the P-Bruins, in which he put up one goal and zero assists. Drafted in the third round (90th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Bruins, Cehlarik has appeared in 37 career NHL games, over which he has produced five goals and five assists. He has also played in 137 career AHL games, through which he has recorded 43 goals and 56 assists. The 24-year-old wing has only played for the Bruins organization over his three season North American professional career.
Bruins fans have been talking about Cehlarik for what seems like a long time now. Many wanted to see him in the NHL full-time last season, and even more do this season. However, when Cehlarik was eventually called up for a 20-game stint with the big club last season, he was unable to consistently do enough to gain the trust of head coach Bruce Cassidy, and he often found himself benched for long stretches of time. However, this season I think that will change, and the team also appears to have some confidence that he will able to stick. They signed him to a one-year deal that will require him to pass through waivers should he get called up and not be able to stick with the team. So, it’s a safe bet they think he’ll be able to improve enough to stick around, as there’s no chance he would pass through waivers and it would hurt to lose him for nothing. He possesses good offensive instincts and a heavy shot in addition to being aggressive on the forecheck. He also has good size, listed at 6’2” and 203 pounds, and he uses his size and strength to help him win pucks along the boards and battles in front of the net. While his skating could be better, he looks to at least be a solid depth option for the Bruins. There’s also a chance he could play as high as David Krejci’s wing, as he is capable of putting up some points if he is given the opportunity.
Provided he has a good training camp, I would not be surprised if Cehlarik starts the season in Boston. He is perhaps the most NHL-ready of the Bruins wing prospects, as most of the other possible NHL-ready forwards are natural centers, although some of them can also play wing. If he makes the roster, I think he’ll start the season on the third line with Charlie Coyle and Danton Heinen (provided neither gets moved up to Krejci’s wing and someone like Karson Kuhlman gets that spot). I say this for many reasons. First of all, as of right now, Cehlarik will likely be the most successful if he is kept away from tough matchups, which he could avoid on the third line. He also has it in him to put up some points (albeit not staggering amounts), and depth scoring is important for teams that truly want to be Cup contenders. Also, he has a hard shot, which would complement the pass-first mentality of Heinen nicely. Plus, Coyle can either score or set up others, so he should fit nicely with him as well. However, if no one else gets the spot from him and it appears as though he may be capable, he may see some time on Krejci’s wing, as he could also be a strong complement to him. But, he had trouble gaining the trust of Cassidy last season, so I think it’s more likely we see him at least start the season on the third line, and possibly get promoted from there if he plays well. As with all the others though, we’ll just have to wait and see what transpires in training camp and throughout the season.
Hockey Addict 