Erik Cernak
Tampa Bay Lightning · Defenseman
Profile
- Position
- Defenseman
- Number
- #81
- Born
- May 28, 1997 · Kosice, Slovakia
- Age
- 29 years old
- Height
- 6′4″ (193 cm)
- Weight
- 232 lb (105 kg)
- Shoots
- right
- Draft
2015, LAK, round 2, pick 13 (43rd overall)- Nationality
- Slovakia
Season stats
- GPGames playedOfficial regular season games he played.
- 11
- GGoalsGoals scored. A shootout goal does not count.
- 0
- AAssistsAssists on his team’s goals.
- 2
- PTSPointsGoals plus assists.
- 2
- +/-Plus-minusGoals for minus goals against while he is on the ice, at even strength or shorthanded.
- +7
- SOGShots on goalShots on target, goals included.
- 15
- PPGPower play goalsGoals scored while his team has an extra player.
- 0
- HITHitsBody checks given.
- 23
- BLKBlocked shotsOpponents’ shots blocked.
- 17
Projected full season
- Pool pts Pool points we project for the full season, already scored and to come, points format: 1 pt per goal and per assist, goalies 2 pts per win, 1 pt per overtime loss and 2 pts per shutout.
- 14.2 72 games, 1.9 goals, 12.3 assists
- Rest of season
- 12.2 61 games left, 0.2 pool pts per game
Our model’s projection, checked on the whole 2025-2026 season: production per game and expected games from his team’s schedule. Our method
📈 Our read on his season
- Projected pool points
- 14 2 so far · 12 to come
- Likely range (80%)
- 10 to 19 Confidence low
- Current pace
- 13 1 below the projection
Current pace carries his production per game over the games we expect him to play. The projection blends this season with the previous ones. The range covers 8 seasons out of 10 given how much his games vary, his health and his role.
* This season: our projection, the vertical line showing its 80% range.
Compared with his last seasons
| SeasonThe season, from fall to spring. | Games playedOfficial regular season games he played. | GoalsGoals scored. A shootout goal does not count. | AssistsAssists on his team’s goals. | PointsGoals plus assists. | Pool pointsPool points for the season under the default scoring. For this season, our projection. | Pool points per gamePool points divided by games played. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (projected) | 72 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 0.20 |
| 2025-26 | 61 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 0.18 |
| 2024-25 | 76 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 0.28 |
| 2023-24 | 69 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 0.19 |
Pool points under the default scoring: 1 point per goal and per assist, 2 per win and per shutout, 1 per overtime loss.
Last 10 games
| DateThe day of the game. | OpponentThe opposing team. "at" marks a road game. | GoalsGoals scored. A shootout goal does not count. | AssistsAssists on his team’s goals. | PointsGoals plus assists. | Shots on goalShots on target, goals included. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24 | at UTA | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Oct 23 | at COL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 20 | at VGK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 17 | VAN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 15 | SEA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Oct 13 | at NYR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 10 | at NYI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 8 | MIN | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Oct 5 | PHI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 3 | WSH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Regular season career
Swipe the table to see every column.
| SeasonThe season, from fall to spring. | TeamThe team he played for that season, with a link to its page when it is in the NHL. | LeagueThe league of that season: NHL, minor league, junior, college or international tournament. | Games playedGames played in that league that season. | GoalsGoals scored. | AssistsAssists. | PointsGoals plus assists. | Plus/minusGoals for minus goals against while he is on the ice, at even strength or shorthanded. | Penalty minutesMinutes spent in the penalty box. | Power play goalsGoals scored while his team has an extra player. | Shorthanded goalsGoals scored while his team is a player short. | Game winning goalsThe goal that puts his team one ahead of the opponent’s final total. | ShotsShots on target, goals included. | Shooting percentageGoals divided by shots, as a percentage. | Average time on ice per gameTime on the ice per game, in minutes and seconds. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10 | Slovakia K&B Stars | QC Int PW | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2010-11 | HC Kosice U16 | Slovakia U16 | 26 | 9 | 13 | 22 | +41 | 34 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011-12 | Kosice U18 | Svk-U18 | 37 | 5 | 4 | 9 | – | 61 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012-13 | Slovakia U20 B | Slovak-2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – | 18 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012-13 | Bratislava Jr. | Slovak-Jr. | 30 | 4 | 6 | 10 | – | 18 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013-14 | Slovakia U20 | Slovakia | 20 | 2 | 1 | 3 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013-14 | Kosice Jr. | Slovak-Jr. | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | – | 16 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013-14 | Kosice | Slovakia | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014-15 | Kosice | Slovakia | 43 | 5 | 8 | 13 | – | 16 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015-16 | Slovakia | WJ18-A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | – |
| 2015-16 | Erie | OHL | 41 | 4 | 11 | 15 | +7 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 5.3 | – |
| 2015-16 | Slovakia U20 | WJC-20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016-17 | Erie Otters | OHL | 50 | 3 | 18 | 21 | +31 | 53 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016-17 | Slovakia U20 | WJC-20 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -3 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016-17 | Erie Otters | M-Cup | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017-18 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 71 | 5 | 13 | 18 | +30 | 70 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018-19 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 58 | 5 | 11 | 16 | +25 | 58 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 107 | 4.7 | 19:15 |
| 2018-19 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -1 | 14 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018-19 | Slovakia | WC | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | +3 | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2019-20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 67 | 5 | 7 | 12 | +11 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 125 | 4.0 | 18:57 |
| 2020-21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 46 | 5 | 13 | 18 | +8 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 5.9 | 19:47 |
| 2021-22 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 55 | 1 | 12 | 13 | +7 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 1.2 | 19:09 |
| 2022-23 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 70 | 2 | 14 | 16 | +8 | 53 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 87 | 2.3 | 19:14 |
| 2023-24 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 69 | 2 | 11 | 13 | +5 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 3.8 | 19:11 |
| 2024-25 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 76 | 3 | 18 | 21 | +29 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 4.7 | 18:16 |
| 2025-26 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 61 | 3 | 8 | 11 | +3 | 74 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 53 | 5.7 | 17:37 |
| 2025-26 | Slovakia | OG | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.0 | 19:30 |
| 2026-27 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.0 | 19:00 |
| NHL totals | NHL | 513 | 26 | 96 | 122 | +103 | 443 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 675 | 3.9 | 18:54 |
Playoff career
Swipe the table to see every column.
| SeasonThe season, from fall to spring. | TeamThe team he played for that season, with a link to its page when it is in the NHL. | LeagueThe league of that season: NHL, minor league, junior, college or international tournament. | Games playedGames played in that league that season. | GoalsGoals scored. | AssistsAssists. | PointsGoals plus assists. | Plus/minusGoals for minus goals against while he is on the ice, at even strength or shorthanded. | Penalty minutesMinutes spent in the penalty box. | Power play goalsGoals scored while his team has an extra player. | Shorthanded goalsGoals scored while his team is a player short. | Game winning goalsThe goal that puts his team one ahead of the opponent’s final total. | ShotsShots on target, goals included. | Shooting percentageGoals divided by shots, as a percentage. | Average time on ice per gameTime on the ice per game, in minutes and seconds. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | Bratislava U18 | Svk-U18 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012-13 | Bratislava Jr. | Slovak-Jr. | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013-14 | Kosice | Slovakia | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014-15 | Kosice | Slovakia | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015-16 | Erie | OHL | 13 | 0 | 6 | 6 | +4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0.0 | – |
| 2016-17 | Erie Otters | OHL | 22 | 1 | 8 | 9 | +17 | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017-18 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018-19 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.0 | 21:29 |
| 2019-20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 25 | 0 | 4 | 4 | +2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0.0 | 20:43 |
| 2020-21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 21 | 1 | 9 | 10 | +12 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2.8 | 19:57 |
| 2021-22 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 23 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 4.5 | 19:20 |
| 2022-23 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 9:27 |
| 2023-24 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 20:39 |
| 2024-25 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7.1 | 17:56 |
| 2025-26 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.0 | 19:28 |
| NHL totals | NHL | 91 | 3 | 19 | 22 | +16 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 120 | 2.5 | 19:51 |
🏆 NHL awards and honours
- Stanley Cup2019-20, 2020-21
Every league he played in, from the NHL’s public feed, read again each day by our server. A dash marks a stat the league does not publish.
📰 News
No news yet.