Curious Case Of Olympian Petr Cajanek

by Brad Lee on Feb 19, 2010 8:00 AM CST

Petr Cajanek, St. Louis Blues washout and 2010 Olympian. Weird, I know.

The last time I thought about Petr Cajanek, it was October 2007. That was the day we learned he was leaving the United States to play in Russia after the Blues made him their first player to get a contract buyout. That was the last time I thought of the buttery-soft center, that is until Wednesday night when he skated next to Jaromir Jagr on the Czech Republic's top line in the Vancouver Olympics. I was shocked too.

Cajanek was an eighth-round pick of the Blues back in 2001. In three seasons sandwiched around the lockout, Cajanek played in 269 games and scored 153 points, 107 coming on assists. He was a decent defensive forward but was one of just a few skill forwards on the team when the Blues finished last in the NHL in 2005-06. But even on that squad of misfits and rejects, the team was never happy with him. He was making $2 million a year, not exactly a huge salary even in the salary cap era, but he didn't seem to be earning it. The guy always looked confused, hesitant, out of it, apathetic. Maybe it was a language thing. Maybe he didn't like playing on the smaller ice surface of the NHL. Maybe people got weirded out by the spelling of his first name (Petr Sejna was a can't miss prospect who missed hard. Coincidence?). Who knows.What was clear was that it wasn't going to work here in St. Louis.

At the beginning of the 2007-08 season, the Blues sent him down to Peoria. They did this with the single goal of calling him back up and having him pass through re-entry waivers. The thought was another team might see some value in a 40-something point guy for just $1 million. And not one team claimed him. So they basically cut him, buying out his contract. He immediately returned to Europe and signed with the AK Bars Kazan team in Russia. He scored 33 points in 33 games. He's also played for the Dynamo in Moscow and is currently on the roster for SKA in the KHL. In 49 games this season, Cajanek has 41 points at age 34. Good for him.

I will never say the Blues gave up on him too soon. He was old when he was drafted (25) and had some issues with performing in the NHL. In Europe, he's a reliable offensive player. I can't believe he's on a line with the 38-year-old Jagr (who has a mullet again!). I get the feeling that if he had stayed in North America, he would have been beaten down and might not be in a position to play such a key role for his country.

So if the Czech Republic earns a medal, the Blues should get an assist.

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Comments

It seems like he was going to be a great asset for awhile. But he was one of those that just didn’t adjust to the NHL style of play.
Some Europeans do some don’t. We see it with Berglund. He’s slowly learning how to use the body he still has to grow into. Also, I can’t imagine being 19 yrs old moving to a new country with new foods, culture, language (at least he knew English but not necessarily American) and having to be responsible for myself.

34 huh, maybe we can try him again.

Hockey players wear numbers because you can't always identify the body with dental records.

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. Laura Ingalls Wilder

by luvhockey on Feb 19, 2010 8:24 AM CST reply actions

It's not all that curious

Cajanek was always much more into playing for Team Czech than he was playing for the note. He was GREAT in the ‘06 Olympics…and we all wondered why he couldn’t put in that kind of effort in the NHL. It was the same with Christian Backman.

Petr Sejna was a “can’t miss” prospect??!!?!? I hope that was sarcasm. He was an undrafted free agent, how many of those are can’t miss prospects? Amazing how one goal against Patty Roy inflated expectations. Crazy.

by forgetyerskatesdream on Feb 19, 2010 8:38 AM CST reply actions

Ok, can't miss might be a little strong

but they talked him up a ton and had been a big scorer his last year in college.

www.stlouisgametime.com

by Brad Lee on Feb 19, 2010 9:16 AM CST up reply actions

HE SCORED HIS 1st GOAL ON PATRICK ROY! IT’S DESTINY!
/two-day hype at the time

As for Cajanek, he was fun to have when the team was really bad. Like a scorer on an expansion team (“Hey, this guy has hands!”) But man he was the archetype for the “This guy will not survive playoffs” feeling. Some smaller guys weave through traffic and bounce off checks; he … didn’t.

Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.

by Dominik on Feb 19, 2010 9:47 AM CST up reply actions

And why wouldn't they?

It’s not like today with our #1 ranked prospect pipeline. Back then it was Silent Jay, Backman and not much else. It wasn’t a pipeline so much as a pretty worn out garden hose. He was small and he couldn’t skate…he did have some slick hands though.

by forgetyerskatesdream on Feb 19, 2010 10:38 AM CST up reply actions

I got

that’s-what-she-said overload reading your post.

by BlueMonday on Feb 19, 2010 11:18 AM CST up reply actions

+1

Let's go Blues!!!

by Milo. on Feb 20, 2010 6:16 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

I think that's the heart (or lack thereof) of the issue...

… Cajanek showed a ton more heart and passion during international play than he ever did while wearing the Note.

Petr Cajanek always struck me as one of those guys who fulfilled Don Cherry’s stereotype about European players: they didn’t grow up lusting for the Cup, so they don’t do what it takes in the NHL to win it.

by BleedBlue42 on Feb 20, 2010 2:03 AM CST up reply actions

yea its weird

the polak ex-blues olympic teammate was an overtime question so that i saw (sejna),

the other issue is its euro and olympics, the other big blues bust that is a national hero is phillip bozon (for france). the guy is france’s greatest player. EVAH! I think they still name babies after him (boy or girl)

and he was barely a blue.

and of course, getting stuck with jagr, or selanne, or crosby tends to make you look more useful. we can go through the horde of d-men that looked usable when paired with proger or macinnis that immediately fell off the face of the nhl when they got paired with a non norris mate :) and never forget basil macre is a 30pt a year man as long as he plays hull’s off wing.

A strong anvil fears no hammer

by Childhood Trauma on Feb 19, 2010 9:31 AM CST reply actions

hmmm

bozon the u20 french coach now

article

A strong anvil fears no hammer

by Childhood Trauma on Feb 19, 2010 9:39 AM CST up reply actions

The Blues fan base, and "Game Time" in particular, have always been too hard on Cajanek, methinks...

I’ll say this… I would be very happy with Cajanek’s usual 15 goals and 30 assists on this Blues team right now.

There are a hell of a lot of guys — on this team,and in the rest of the NHL — who are being paid a hell of a lot more than Cajanek was, and producing a hell of a lot less (coughcoughPaulKariyacoughcough).

There are only three major differences between Petr Cajanek and TJ Oshie… frosted tips, about ten years, and the fact that Oshie is a human pinball.

Otherwise, their production is comparable, as is their versatility at multiple forward positions on multiple forward lines.

Not a knock on Oshie by any means — I love the guy — but I was a Cajanek booster, too, and I absolutely believe the Blues, and the fan base, gave up on him way too soon.

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Feb 19, 2010 10:36 AM CST reply actions

i think people who are not familiar with pc

might be suprised by his physical euro/international game. Petr always had a solid amount of minutes as a note (40 pims to go with his 15/30) he lead his khl team in pims while being 3rd in scoring. and lead by a lot. he was also often first or second in pims in his pre draft days, and we all know the blues well enough to know that someone with decent “o” and a tonne of physicallity makes the blues’ draft team drool wild turkey on the rocks…

A strong anvil fears no hammer

by Childhood Trauma on Feb 19, 2010 11:01 AM CST up reply actions

one other difference

oshie shoots.

i wouldnt be surprised to see cajanek take the puck in on a breakaway and try to pass it.

Paul Kariya's hips don't lie and he's starting to feel it's right.

by NateTheGreat. on Feb 19, 2010 11:13 AM CST up reply actions

So...

he IS Paul Kariya, then.

Let's go Blues!!!

by Milo. on Feb 20, 2010 6:18 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

On the topic of Slovakian former Blues

Demitra looked fantastic last night, he was there for everything offensive for Slovakia.

I wonder what Chara’s ice time was like… Seems like he was always out there.

Anyway, quite a game.

by BlueMonday on Feb 19, 2010 11:15 AM CST reply actions

24+ minutes according to NYT

by BlueMonday on Feb 19, 2010 11:17 AM CST up reply actions

I had no ill favor toward Cajanek when he was here.

I DID find it curious that he was paid $2MM to do his job, though. Quite excessive for what he was doing for the club. Then again, we’re paying our captain somewhere around $4MM per year to skate slightly faster than molasses and score goals for the other team. So in that respect, it’s a bit of a wash.

Anyway, you’ll never hear me say a bad word about Petr Cajanek . . . partially because he was largely unmemorable as a Blue Note. Unless he comes back stateside and starts playing for the Blackhawks or something. Then he can go fuck himself.

"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." -- Don Marquis
The Bluenote Zone - Because you KNOW you want to know more about the St. Louis Blues!

by Donut King on Feb 19, 2010 11:41 AM CST reply actions