Blackhawks Sign Petr Mrázek To Extension
11:34 a.m.: Chicago has made the extension official, confirming the two-year length and $4.25MM AAV.
8:31 a.m.: The Blackhawks are signing starting goalie Petr Mrázek to a two-year extension, The Athletic’s Scott Powers confirmed Wednesday. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was the first to report the news and added the deal is expected to come in just north of $8MM ($4MM AAV). The final contract will come in with an $8.5MM total value and $4.25MM AAV, per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
Mrázek, 31, is enjoying his best season in quite some time. He first joined the Blackhawks in a 2022 draft-day deal with the Maple Leafs. Toronto moved down 13 picks from the late first to the early second round to shed Mrázek’s three-year, $11.4MM ($3.8MM AAV) contract after his first season with the Maple Leafs was hampered by injuries and poor play.
At the time, it was rightfully viewed as a cap-dump move. He made only 20 appearances (18 starts) with Toronto in 2021-22, posting a subpar .888 SV% and -9.6 goals saved above average after a three-year run of decent play with the Hurricanes. Mrázek had shown the ability to be an inconsistent but high-ceiling starter earlier in his career with the Red Wings, though, and if he could remain healthy, he had the potential to return to form.
Last season’s initial showing in Chicago was a marginal improvement but still disappointing. No one expected Mrázek to save a team with Max Domi as their leading point-getter, but his .894 SV% and -6.3 goals saved above expected (MoneyPuck) were still lower than a league-average goalie would have posted in his situation. That’s improved starkly this season, though, as his SV% has jumped to .907, and he’s saving more goals than average for the first time since his injury-shortened 2020-21 campaign, his final season with Carolina. His 3.7 goals saved above expected in 32 games doesn’t put him in the Vezina Trophy conversation, but it is an impressive turnaround for a veteran goalie on a bottom-five defensive team.
The biggest difference is health. Mrázek hasn’t sustained an injury in nearly 10 months. His last absence lasted for nine days due to undisclosed reasons shortly after last season’s trade deadline. That’s the longest he’s gone without once since returning from a concussion in March 2020 and then sustaining a hand injury in late Jan. 2021, which limited him to 12 appearances that year.
For most other teams, questions would abound regarding the merits of giving Mrázek a multi-year deal. His laundry list of injury concerns is nothing to scoff at, and he hasn’t put up back-to-back seasons of above-average play since his first two full seasons in the league with Detroit in the mid-2010s.
However, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson’s team-building goal over the next couple of seasons is team-building around star rookie Connor Bedard, not signing value contracts for success. Despite Bedard’s strong early showings, Chicago is still a few seasons away from exiting their rebuild. The team believes it important to have a veteran core around Bedard and its other prospects to help insulate them and prevent them from burning out too soon, hence a pair of similar extensions for forwards Jason Dickinson and Nick Foligno that also came in well above market value.
In the unlikely event that Mrázek reproduces these solid numbers in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 campaigns, this is a decent bit of business for Davidson to shore up his crease while under-25 names like Drew Commesso, Adam Gajan, Arvid Söderblom, and Jaxson Stauber continue to develop. The Blackhawks aren’t in a position where they’ll need to offload Mrázek’s deal to create additional cap space if it doesn’t work out, either, and his deal is set to expire along with Dickinson’s and Foligno’s in 2026. That’s when Bedard will be due for a massive extension after his entry-level contract.
After extending Mrázek, the Blackhawks’ projected cap hit for next season is just north of $48.25MM, per CapFriendly. They still need to allocate over $16MM in cap hits to next season’s roster to be compliant with the 2024-25 Lower Limit, which is expected to rise to $64.7MM from this season’s $61.7MM.
The deal also takes Mrázek off the market ahead of this season’s trade deadline, where he likely could have garnered significant interest with salary retention on Chicago’s end from contending teams looking for a quality backup. It also takes some free agency work off Davidson’s plate, who presumably won’t pursue a netminder on the UFA market for the second straight season.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Mutual Interest Between Blackhawks And Petr Mrazek In A Contract Extension
The Blackhawks have been busy in recent days with the two-year extensions that they’ve handed out to winger Nick Foligno and center Jason Dickinson. It appears as if they may not be done on that front as ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports (Twitter link) that there is mutual interest in exploring a possible extension with goaltender Petr Mrazek; Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggests the netminder is likely to be the next one to ink a new deal to stay in Chicago.
The 31-year-old came to the Blackhawks back in 2022 in a salary-dumping move by Toronto. Mrazek struggled in his first season with the team but has fared much better this season, posting a .913 SV% through his first 29 games. That puts him in the top 20 league-wide among goalies with at least 10 appearances so far while doing so on an injury-ravaged rebuilding team that’s in a battle for the basement.
Mrazek is currently making $3.8MM and while that amount might seem high for a netminder who has been more of a platoon player throughout his career, the market rate for those types of goalies has gone up in recent years. A year ago, it looked as if he was heading for a considerable cut in pay but now, something around this price point, if not a small raise, is within the realm of possibility on a short-term agreement.
The Blackhawks have 24-year-old Arvid Soderblom as their other goaltender and he has struggled considerably this season, posting a save percentage of just .875. Meanwhile, Drew Commesso is one of their better prospects but the 21-year-old has struggled a bit with the IceHogs, posting a .894 SV% through his first 17 appearances. Jaxson Stauber, who made six appearances with Chicago last season, hasn’t fared any better with Rockford either.
Accordingly, having a veteran netminder around for another year or two makes some sense for GM Kyle Davidson. It seems that his preference for now is that Mrazek continues to be that veteran option, a desire that appears to be mutual.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Central Notes: Mrazek, Drouin, Kirkland, Thornton
Even with a handful of teams believed to be looking for goalie help, the market for Blackhawks netminder Petr Mrazek isn’t likely to be too strong. As a result, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic feels (subscription link) it might be more likely that Chicago winds up extending the netminder over dealing him for what’s likely to be a limited return. The 31-year-old has put up a .903 SV% in 25 games this season, a very respectable number on a team that’s in a battle for the bottom of the standings once again. He currently carries a cap hit of $3.8MM and while it’s unlikely an extension would come in at that amount, keeping him around on a short-term extension to allow Drew Commesso to have a bit more time to develop with AHL Rockford would make some sense, especially if the trade market isn’t likely to yield much in return.
Elsewhere in the Central:
- After a rough start with his new team, Avalanche winger Jonathan Drouin has settled in nicely and is in the middle of a strong stretch where he has 17 points in his last 22 games. To that end, Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now evaluates the feasibility of trying to sign the 28-year-old to a contract extension. Drouin is playing on a deal worth $825K this season, opting for a short-term agreement in the hopes of establishing a better market next summer. His performance is worth a fair bit more than that but with Colorado’s cap situation, they’ll still be capped at a lower-cost offer. That said, if Drouin wants some stability and to stay in a good situation, he could be amenable to the possibility of re-signing now.
- The shuffling of Justin Kirkland continues. After being sent back down yesterday, the Coyotes announced (Twitter link) that the winger has been recalled from AHL Tucson. It’s his third recall in the last two weeks although he has yet to make an appearance yet with Arizona. Meanwhile, the 27-year-old has been productive with the Roadrunners, recording 13 points in 12 games so far.
- Still with Arizona, while not yet announced by the Coyotes, the team has loaned goaltender Anson Thornton back to OHL Barrie, notes Colts color commentator Gene Pereira. The 20-year-old signed as an undrafted free agent with Arizona back in 2021 but has been injured for most of the season, being limited to just four appearances with Tucson where he has a save percentage of just .849. With the CHL trade deadline coming next week, he may find himself on the move at that level in the coming days.
Blackhawks Notes: Toews, Draft Picks, UFAs, Goalies
Aside from drafting their next franchise center at the end of the month, the biggest storyline in the Chicago Blackhawks’ offseason is what the future holds for his predecessor, captain Jonathan Toews. A return to the Blackhawks has seemed very unlikely for some time, given how the end of the season went. Still, speculation around a return, given the impending entrance of Connor Bedard, has been a topic of discussion.
According to The Athletic’s Scott Powers, Toews is expected to be announced in the coming weeks to announce a decision regarding retirement or a potential move to another team in free agency. Toews, 35, took a leave of absence prior to the 2020-2021 season due to Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, which, along with some effects of long COVID, caused him to miss a stretch of games near the end of 2022-23 as well.
Should Toews choose to hang up his skates, it would mark the end of a notable career that includes three Stanley Cup championships and numerous accolades but a debatable reputation as a captain stemming from the sexual assault scandal that occurred during the team’s 2010 championship run. After completing his eight-year, $84MM contract extension signed in 2014, Toews will surely generate some interest from teams looking to fill out their middle six if he does decide to try and extend his career.
More from Powers on the Blackhawks this morning:
- In regards to their second first-round pick in the upcoming draft, 19th overall, the Blackhawks have a handful of players they’re hoping will still be available to them – and they’re likely to select a second forward to supplement Bedard. Among the prospects at the scouting combine, forwards Colby Barlow, Oliver Moore, Calum Ritchie, Matthew Wood, and Brayden Yager are potential options for the Blackhawks. Additionally, the team has shown interest in 6-foot-5 Russian forward Daniil But, and general manager Kyle Davidson expressed a lack of hesitancy to Powers around selecting Russian players in this year’s draft. Looking ahead to the team’s four second-round picks, goaltender Adam Gajan, forwards Otto Stenberg and Bradly Nadeau, as well as defensemen Oliver Bonk and Andrew Strathmann are potential considerations for the Blackhawks.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have made their decision regarding pending unrestricted free agents, says Powers, signaling that after re-signing Andreas Athanasiou, the team is unlikely to bring back any of their other UFAs. Players such as Jujhar Khaira and Alex Stalock, among a few others, will explore options elsewhere as the Blackhawks prioritize their roster composition to provide opportunities for younger players and build out some higher-end support for Bedard via free agency.
- Davidson also indicated to Powers that Arvid Soderblöm and Petr Mrazek are expected to form the team’s NHL goaltending tandem for the upcoming season. Speaking about the young goalies, Davidson emphasized Soderblöm’s potential and the development aspect of their decision-making process so as to not rush their other prospects. Soderblöm, who has already spent time as a North American pro (and played pro in Europe), holds an experience advantage over other prospects like Jaxson Stauber and Drew Commesso.
Blackhawks Activate Tyler Johnson Off IR
The Blackhawks will welcome a veteran forward back into their lineup tonight as the team announced that center Tyler Johnson has been activated off injured reserve and will suit up against Washington.
The 32-year-old had gotten off to a nice start to his season with two goals and four assists in his first six games. However, in that sixth contest back in late October, he suffered an ankle injury, one that has kept him out for the last 20 contests.
With Chicago certainly isn’t looking to make a push for the playoffs, getting Johnson back and into game shape will help give them some stability in their middle six while he should be able to at least slightly bolster an offense that comes into tonight’s action ranked last in the league in goals scored. He’ll start on the third line for the time being.
While the Blackhawks will be sellers over the next few months, Johnson almost certainly won’t be among those that they’re able to move. He has another year left on his contract after this one with a $5MM AAV plus partial no-trade protection. In this market, with so many teams lacking cap space, that’s not a deal they’re easily going to be able to move.
The team also confirmed that goaltender Petr Mrazek was activated off IR and he will get the start against the Caps. Jaxson Stauber has been returned to AHL Rockford in a corresponding move. However, it’s not all good news on the injury front when it comes to players returning as Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times notes (Twitter link) that defenseman Caleb Jones isn’t quite ready to come back from his hip injury.
Injury Updates: Letang, Duhaime, Hartman, Mrazek, Krug
When it was revealed that legendary Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang suffered a minor stroke, the first thoughts most had weren’t hockey-related. Everyone involved, including the Penguins, emphasized the importance of prioritizing Letang’s health over any hockey-related concerns. Now, just 12 days after his health scare, Letang is firmly back in the mix for a lineup spot in Pittsburgh.
Per Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, as relayed by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Letang returned to practice and is available for tonight’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. It’s a remarkable turn of events for the veteran defenseman and a development that speaks to the strength, resilience, and immense toughness he’s displayed over the course of his NHL career.
Some other injury updates from across the NHL:
- The Minnesota Wild have been without forwards Ryan Hartman and Brandon Duhaime as they each work back from upper-body injuries. Per The Athletic’s Michael Russo, both skaters are expected to return to practice with the Wild next week, when the team returns from its road trip. (subscription link) Hartman’s return is important for the Wild, whose thin crop of centers has forced them into using Sam Steel as their first-line center. Hartman, who scored 34 goals and 65 points last season, should be a better fit for that role, while Duhaime’s return should add some snarl to the team’s bottom-six.
- Chicago Blackhawks starting netminder Petr Mrazek suffered his second groin injury of the season, but thankfully for Chicago, it seems to have been just a minor setback. Per NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis, Mrazek is aiming to return for the Blackhawks’ game against the Washington Capitals.
- The St. Louis Blues are set to get a defenseman back when Torey Krug returns to the ice tomorrow, per Blues coach Craig Berube. (via NHL.com’s Lou Korac) Krug has missed the Blues’ last two games, and his return should help the team shore up a blueline that has surrendered goals at an alarmingly high rate for the past two weeks.
Chicago Blackhawks Re-Assign Lukas Reichel, Place Petr Mrazek On IR
Dec 7: So much for that. Reichel has been returned to the AHL.
Dec 6: A top prospect is on his way up to the NHL. According to the AHL’s transactions log, the Chicago Blackhawks recalled forward Lukas Reichel from the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs today. In a corresponding transaction, they also placed goalie Petr Mrazek on injured reserve retroactive to December 3, per NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis.
The move comes as Jonathan Toews is set to miss tonight’s game with a non-COVID illness, so it’s feasible that Reichel doesn’t stay up long-term. However, the team’s 17th overall pick in 2020 again dominates the minors and could force the team’s hand.
For the second consecutive season, Reichel is operating at more than a point-per-game pace in the AHL and sits second on Rockford, scoring 10 goals and 23 points in 19 games. With depth players like Jujhar Khaira and Colin Blackwell struggling to produce, Reichel might have the opportunity to get in a meaningful string of NHL action if he performs well tonight.
Mrazek is dealing with his second groin injury of the season, an issue that plagued him last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs as well. Those injuries have limited the team’s presumptive starter to just nine games this year, and his .884 save percentage and 4.06 goals-against average are the worst among the team’s top three goalies. He can return as soon as this weekend.
West Notes: Iafallo, Dumba, Mrazek
The Kings are expected to welcome back winger Alex Iafallo to the lineup on their upcoming road trip, reports Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider. The 28-year-old suffered a lower-body injury back in mid-October after a strong start that saw him pick up at least a point per game in each of his first four contests and has been out since then. Last season, Iafallo was tied for fifth on the team in goals (17) while finishing sixth in points with 37 and his return will give Los Angeles another proven forward in the middle six to bolster what has already been a strong offense this season with the team averaging just over 3.4 goals per game so far. He skated on the third line in practice today and could be available as soon as Tuesday’s contest against Ottawa.
More from the West:
- Matt Dumba’s future with the Wild has seemingly been in question for years now as trade speculation has been plentiful but he has always stuck around. However, Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic feel (subscription link) that it will be different this time around and that Minnesota is likely to move the 28-year-old by the trade deadline in March. Dumba has struggled this season and has just seven points in 24 games and with prospect Brock Faber not far away from being NHL-ready (he’s expected to turn pro after his college season ends), it’s possible that they’d eye him for Dumba’s spot, allowing them to reallocate his $6MM elsewhere. Even with him struggling, Dumba would be an interesting addition to the trade block over the next few months.
- Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek will be out at least a week after suffering a groin injury in last night’s contest against the Rangers, relays Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). The veteran is no stranger to dealing with groin trouble over his career although fortunately for him, this one appears to be a shorter-term issue. The fact he’ll be out for at least a week will make him eligible to be placed on IR which would give Chicago an extra roster spot. They had one available yesterday but used that to bring up goalie Jaxson Stauber earlier today.
Chicago Blackhawks Recall Jaxson Stauber
The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled netminder Jaxson Stauber from their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
This news comes after Chicago’s veteran starter, Petr Mrazek, suffered an injury in last night’s game against the New York Rangers.
With the team’s other veteran goalie, Alex Stalock, still sidelined with a concussion, this recall gives head coach Luke Richardson and the Blackhawks an extremely young goalie tandem, as both of his healthy netminders are 23 years old.
Stauber is in his first professional season after two successful seasons at Providence College. In six AHL games this year Stauber has an .892 save percentage.
While that’s obviously not a strong number, Stauber’s NCAA performance does indicate that he has some promise. In 37 games last season Stauber went 21-14-2 with a 2.10 goals-against-average and a .921 save percentage.
The Blackhawks are back in action again tonight, and it’s possible that Richardson turns to his new call-up. But since Arvid Soderblom played just one period of action in relief of Stalock, it seems more likely that Richardson will turn to the more experienced name in order to not simply immediately thrust Stauber into the heat of battle.
Nonetheless, this move has put the 23-year-old Stauber in a position to make his NHL debut despite having just six total professional games played on his resume.
Chicago Blackhawks Activate Petr Mrazek; Waive Dylan Wells
The Chicago Blackhawks have activated Petr Mrazek, while moving Alex Stalock to injured reserve. With a goaltender coming back, they have also placed the recently-signed Dylan Wells on waivers, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets.
Mrazek, 30, has played just three games for the Blackhawks this season, posting a .873 save percentage so far. That performance is actually even worse than his dreadful 2021-22 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs which led the team to trade away a draft pick so Chicago would take on the rest of his contract.
He’ll now presumably take over as the team’s starter, though Arvid Soderblom has been excellent through his four appearances, posting a .924. Those Blackhawks fans hoping for a true tank and the best chance at the first-overall pick might want Mrazek starting every game, given the younger netminder’s impressive performance. That is of course if Soderblom is even healthy enough to play, given he left his last start after two periods.
Stalock, meanwhile, is still in concussion protocol after taking a hard hit from Casey Cizikas (who received a suspension for the play) a few days ago. It is not clear when he will return to action but his IR placement is retroactive to November 1, meaning he can be activated at any time.
Things worked out pretty nicely for Wells, who earned an NHL deal out of the situation and his debut at the highest level. The 24-year-old entered the game in relief of Soderblom and stopped 12 of 13 shots in his NHL debut. His placement on waivers suggests that Soderblom will be okay but the team has not updated that situation yet.