Time to bring Jonathan Cheechoo Back!

It’s not happening.

Then his 2nd PTO is up, wonder if Worcester will give him PTOs next season so 2011-12 will be chalk-full of ‘call up Cheechoo’. I can barely contain my excitment.
A question for you Cheechoo folk..
If he is so ready the NHL, why hasnt he been offered a contract from any team?
He is not signed with the Sharks

With McGinn, Mitchell, Mayers, and Ferriero all theoretically fighting for a the team’s last two roster spots, we don’t really need to add a name that isn’t under contract to the mix.

And Mayers and Cheechoo serve really different roles, with Cheech being a scorer and Mayers meant to be an enforcer. If we’re going to dump Mayers, I’d rather see McGinn, Mashinter, or McLaren considered for the roster slot, given that they fit the rough and tumble, throw some punches, lay some hits mold.

I was out at Worcester for the game, and here is what I saw…

First, at least in my view, Cheechoo looked to be better than everyone else on the ice. He always stood out to me on the ice because the puck seemed to be following him around. He was positionally sound, he would crash the net with abandon. He had many quality chances, although none of them went in (the Bruins’ goalie was playing really well). He clearly had a better feel for the game, and a better understanding of the game, than everyone else playing that night.

But you would expect that. He had the most NHL experience, and the most high level NHL experience, of anyone on the ice that night. One thing he did not to well, though, was skate. He was not faster than anyone. He wasn’t noticably slow…but the AHL is a slower game than the NHL. If he really belongs here, then he should look like a fly buzzing around shit out there…flying so much faster than everyone else, buzzing around the ice. He was not…not even close. So while he looked better than everyone else, he could not impose his will on the other team like a true NHL-ready player would be able to do in the AHL. His body and skating just would not let him.

Cheechoo was a great part of our organization for many years…years that put us on the map as Stanley Cup contenders. And his Rocket Richard year was magical. But he was never the swiftest of foot to begin with, and now he’s lost too many steps. He’s a tweener now. He can play very well in the AHL on his game instincts alone…but he’s too slow to use those instincts at the NHL level. He’d just get left in the dust.

Bringing him back would require signing him to an NHL contract and I don’t see him as much of an upgrade from anyone on our active roster

Especially after reading this on WTC a few days ago:

One note on the Jonathan Cheechoo discussion going on out there. Talked with someone who has been watching Worcester play all season. Word is that Cheechoo started out well enough, but seems to have lost a step since coming back from the hit to the lower back that bruised his kidney.

I’d definity bring back the cheech.

I’m not sure why so many people are so concerned with Cheechoo’s skating ability. He’s always had a problem with skating. He still scored 56 goals in one season. Heatley is not much better. We don’t need everyone on the team to skate like Mitchell, who can’t score by the way, scorers who can skate or not will do just fine.

20 comments? Cmon, you are late, time to crush to another innocent fan’s dream!

Joe and Author,
Points well made. I would assume that Sommer is giving Wilson updates. It sounds like WOrcester signed him to another PTO. Good for Jonathan.