Erik Cernak

Erik Cernak

27-Year-Old DefensemanD
Tampa Bay Lightning
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Cernak again missed time for a second straight season, appearing in just 69 of Tampa Bay's 82 regular-season games. He finished with two goals and 13 points, offensive numbers right in line with prior years. Cernak has no fantasy value in standard formats, but he is an asset in leagues which value hits and blocked shots. He's posted roughly 200 hits and 100 blocks each of the past two years, and that's with missing significant time. Cernak's physical style of play leads to injuries, so you may want to look elsewhere for production in those categories on draft day, however. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed an eight-year, $41.6 million contract extension with the Lightning in July of 2022.
Set to play Thursday
DTampa Bay Lightning
November 14, 2024
Cernak (undisclosed) is expected to be in the lineup since the Lightning will dress seven defensemen for their game versus the Jets on Thursday, Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun reports.
ANALYSIS
Cernak left the Lightning's last game after blocking a shot, but it appears a week-long break in the team's schedule has worked in his favor to avoid missing additional time. The 27-year-old could see fewer minutes than usual given the Lightning playing seven blueliners, but he should still see significant defensive usage.
Read More News
NHL Stats
Loading Skater Stats...
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2024 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2023 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2022 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2021 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2020 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2019 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2018 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2017 NHL Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
FantasyDraft
Head2Head
Loading Skater Game Log...
2024–25 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    19:03
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    0:02
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    2:45
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2022–23
19:14
0:05
2:59
2023–24
19:11
0:03
2:49
2024–25
19:03
0:02
2:45
Lightning Depth Chart
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Subscribe Now
Lightning Power Play Depth Chart
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Subscribe Now
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Erik Cernak See More
Hutch's Hockey: The Code
285 days ago
Shawn Hutchinson gives his take on the NHL's unwritten rules and offers some players he wouldn't mind seeing take a slap shot into an empty net over the next week.
NHL Barometer: Risers and Fallers
November 14, 2023
Rookie phenom Connor Bedard takes the spot as this week's top riser after back-to-back multi-goal efforts.
FanDuel NHL: Monday Targets
April 24, 2023
Jason Chen provides his best playoff player picks to help you craft a winning FanDuel lineup Monday.
NHL Playoffs Best Bets for Thursday, April 20
April 20, 2023
Grant Leonard digs into Thursday's Stanley Cup Playoffs slate and offers his best bets from each of the four Game 2's. Can the Jets steal another road win?
FanDuel NHL: Thursday Targets
April 20, 2023
Jason Chen’s Thursday playoff picks include several Lightning in Game 2 up in Toronto.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
Cernak remains a key cog on defense for Tampa Bay, averaging nearly 20 minutes per game (19:14 in 2022-23) every single season while chipping in some hits (209) and blocks (100) and generating virtually zero offense. Cernak has never recorded more than 18 points in any one campaign. The Lightning, however, clearly value what Cernak brings to the table given they handed him an eight-year, $41.6 million deal in July 2022. Unfortunately, he still won't help in fantasy come draft day, especially since he's always prone to missing a few games with injuries.
To give you an idea of how much the Lightning think Cernak means to their lineup, this is a player who posted one goal and 13 points in 55 games last season and was still handed an eight-year, $41.6 million contract extension this past July. Of course, offense isn't a big part of Cernak's game. He's a nasty, stay-at-home defender and penalty killer, who averages upwards of 20 minutes per game and is good for well over 200 hits over the course of a full season, if he can stay healthy. If that helps you in your fantasy league, go for it -- just don't expect much scoring from the 25-year-old Slovak.
Acquired from the Kings in exchange for Ben Bishop back in 2017, Cernak has developed into arguably the most underrated piece on a loaded Tampa Bay blue line. A hulking physical rearguard, the 24-year-old Slovakian logs tons of tough minutes for the Lightning and has the ability to chip in some offense here and there. Cernak is a solid late-round fantasy option in league's which value hits and blocks. He should produce well over 200 of the former and 100 of the latter over the course of a full 82-game campaign, in addition to roughly 20 points and a solid plus-minus rating. It's an attractive package depending on your league's settings.
Cernak regressed a bit in his second season, posting 12 points, 172 hits, 97 blocked shots and a plus-11 rating in 67 appearances last year. The Slovak isn't likely to budge from his third-pairing role on the Lightning's blue line any time soon, but a late arrival to training camp could make him a slow-starter in 2020-21. Fantasy managers already know not to expect more than 15 points out of the 23-year-old, who should round out his stat line with over 150 hits and nearly 100 blocked shots while playing solid defense. Due to his physical stats, he could be worth a look in deep formats.
Cernak was a complete revelation as a rookie in 2018-19. He came out of nowhere to play 58 games with the Bolts, most of which were spent in the top four. On many nights, Cernak was the best defender on the ice -- poised, physical and mature well beyond his 22 years. His offensive upside is probably limited, but 30 points are possible to go along with 80-90 PIM and 200 hits this season. There are a few leagues still out there where that type of contribution matters.
More Fantasy News
Leaves game after blocked shot
DTampa Bay Lightning
Undisclosed
November 7, 2024
Cernak did not return to Thursday's game versus the Flyers after blocking a shot in the second period, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Snags assist Friday
DTampa Bay Lightning
November 1, 2024
Cernak recorded an assist and three shots on goal in Friday's 5-3 loss to the Wild.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Playing against Wild
DTampa Bay Lightning
November 1, 2024
Cernak (upper body) will be in the lineup versus Minnesota on Friday, Jessi Pierce of NHL.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Suffers injury Wednesday
DTampa Bay Lightning
Upper Body
October 30, 2024
Cernak (upper body) was injured in the second period of Wednesday's game versus the Avalanche, Ryan Boulding of NHL.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Nabs assist in loss
DTampa Bay Lightning
October 24, 2024
Cernak logged a shorthanded assist, two hits and two PIM in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Wild.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Won't play internationally
DTampa Bay Lightning
August 19, 2024
Cernak was left off the Slovakia roster for upcoming Olympic qualifying matches, Szymon Szemberg of the Alliance of European Hockey Clubs reports Monday.
ANALYSIS
Cernak last featured for Slovakia back in 2019 at the IIHF World Championship, registering three goals and two assists in seven contests. Without his international commitments, the blueliner can focus on the 2024-25 campaign with the Lightning. Considering that the 27-year-old Cernak has never broken the 20-point threshold in his six-year NHL career, fantasy managers likely don't need to monitor his status during training camp.
See All NHL Rumors