Get to Know Blackhawks New Goaltender Petr Mrazek...
The 2022 NHL Draft is underway and the Chicago Blackhawks have not seemed to take their foot off the pedal. To recap
As of an hour ago, the Blackhawks traded AGAIN, this time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Chicago received goaltender Petr Mrázek and a 25th overall 2022 Draft pick while the Leafs received the 38th overall pick.
Let's get to know Petr Mrázek
At 30 years old, Mrázek is a veteran in the league after getting drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in Round 5 of the 2010 Draft, for the overall pick of #141.
After spending the first half of his career bouncing between the Red Wings and the Grand Rapids Griffins, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers midway through the 2017-2018 season before landing at the Carolina Hurricanes. While in Raleigh, he would go on to help the Canes to three straight playoff berths between 2018-2021. He finished with an overall regular-season record of 50-32-8 and a playoff record of 8-9-0.
The most memorable of his time at the Canes was during the 2019 opening round seven-game series vs the defending Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals. However, he suffered an injury during the second round, which was the beginning of his injury-prone history. He re-signed with the Hurricanes in 2019 and in the Co-Vid shortened 2020-21 season, he left his fourth start 3 minutes into the game after an upper-body injury that required surgery on his thumb. He was able to return in April of that year, but in July of 2021, he signed as a free agent to a three-year, $11.4 million deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
On March 20, 2022, Mrázek was placed on waivers by the Leafs.
During this year's regular season, Mrázek was determined to be out for at least six weeks due to his third groin injury of the year.
He now has 2 years left at a $3.8 million cap hit as Toronto didn't retain any of that in the trade, costing them just 13 draft spots to offload.
Fans are still wary of how the trade of DeBrincat will play out, not to mention Kirby Dach to the Montreal Canadiens. DeBrincat leaves the Hawks at the age of 24, while Dach leaves at 21.
The rebuild is on
