Can The Boston Fleet Afford To Leave Klara Peslarova In The Stands?

Klara Peslarova is a former Olympic All-Star, World Championship All-Star, SDHL Goaltender of the Year, and two-time top goaltender at the Division 1A World Championships with Czechia. She also backstopped Czechia to their first ever bronze medal at the World Championships in 2022.

At 28-years-old, the netminder still has plenty of runway remaining in her career...that is, if she's ever allowed to fly.

Signed as a free agent by the PWHL's Boston Fleet this offseason, Peslarova has long been considered one of, if not the top goaltender outside North America. With the Boston Fleet looking for wins, and struggling to find consistent goaltending beyond starter Aerin Frankel, the time may have arrived for Peslarova to prove if she can be one of the top netminders in North America.

Emma Söderberg Continues To Struggle

Heading into the inaugural PWHL season, most anticipated Boston's crease would be one of the best in the league. Emma Söderberg was coming off an incredible performance for Sweden at the World Championships and a strong NCAA career, and there were some who thought she may be capable of challenging Frankel for starts.

That hasn't happened, and Söderberg's game has gone downhill internationally and in the PWHL. Last season Söderberg posted a .900 save percentage and 2.54 GAA along with a 4-3-0 record. This year, those numbers have dipped substantially to a .881 save percentage and 3.33 GAA, with Söderberg losing all three starts she's had.

It's hardly a record that warrants confidence from the team in front of her, specifically as Söderberg has struggled to control rebounds, and seal pucks. Her angles look off, and when she's forced to track pucks across the royal road, Söderberg is often overplaying her movements, or worse, is being frozen altogether leaving a wide open net. Never was this more evident than Söderberg's recent 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Frost, where she was beaten cleanly time and again. Boston's crease doubts have permeated from the ice into the stands as fans are calling for Aerin Frankel to remain in the crease. The problem for Boston however, is that they can't risk overworking their starter without the ability to give her a night off. Enter Klara Peslarova.

Peslarova Deserves A Start

Peslarova has shown she can play at an elite level internationally, and in the SDHL. It's time she gets that opportunity in the PWHL. Boston needs to find a way to spell off Aerin Frankel while still putting points on the board, and they have a veteran goaltender, accustomed to high pressure situations, sitting in the stands. Peslarova will have something to prove, and will certainly step on the ice with a chip on her shoulder ready to prove herself. If she falters, at the very least, it will serve as a wake up call to Söderberg that no position in this league is guaranteed. With Söderberg's contract expiring at the end of this season, Boston will also want to know which goaltender they should move forward with, or if they'll need to target a player like Andrea Brandli or Sanni Ahola in the draft. Peslarova is a highly competitive goaltender and person who has waited patiently.

Sooner or later however, Boston will need to give her a start, or risk watching their playoff hopes be put in jeopardy. In short, the Boston Fleet can no longer afford to leave Klara Peslarova untested in the stands.