Cechmanek

VOORHEES, N.J. -- Flyers goaltender Roman Cechmanek probably will not return to the team following a disappointing finish in the playoffs.

"I think it'll be very difficult to bring Roman back,'' general manager Bob Clarke said Monday. "I don't think he wants to come back. I think he feels it's not a good place for him.''

Cechmanek signed a three-year contract extension worth $3 million a season in January 2002. Clarke said he'll try to trade the 32-year-old player.

Cechmanek already has returned to his native Czech Republic for the summer, and Clarke isn't sure if the goalie still wants to play in the NHL.

Clarke said the Flyers will pursue a new goaltender through a trade or free agency. Clarke expects backup Robert Esche to be a starter in the league, but isn't certain the 25-year-old goalie is ready.

Cechmanek was 33-15-10 with a 1.83 goals-against average in the regular season, helping the Flyers finish just one point behind first-place New Jersey in the Atlantic Division.

	“	I hear what people say. They hate me. I don't know why they hate me, hate our team. We do what we know. ”
		— Roman Cechmanek

But Cechmanek played poorly in the final two games of Philadelphia's second-round series against Ottawa, allowing nine goals on 46 shots.

He has a 1.96 lifetime goals-against average in three seasons, lowest among goaltenders with at least 150 regular-season games since 1943-44.

"It's an interesting situation with Roman,'' Clarke said. "He's runner-up for the Vezina (Trophy) one year, he's tied for the lowest goals-against in the league and his save percentage is always good, but his playoffs have been inconsistent.

"He shuts a team out one night, but when you get down to the nitty gritty and you let a soft goal in, it takes a lot out of your team emotionally.''

Cechmanek, whose unconventional style sometimes left him vulnerable to rebounds, has been erratic since becoming the Flyers' starter in 2001.

In the 2003 playoffs, he won his first playoff series in three tries by shutting down Toronto, giving up only four goals in the last three games. In the Ottawa series, Cechmanek had two shutouts before the Flyers fell apart in the last two games, losing 5-2 and 5-1.

Fans booed Cechmanek after Mike Fisher's long slap shot slipped between his legs for a short-handed goal that gave the Senators a 2-0 lead in Game 6.

"I hear what people say. They hate me,'' Cechmanek said after the game. "I don't know why they hate me, hate our team. We do what we know.''