Healthy Petr Mrazek Finally Finding Old Form With Blackhawks

Along with Connor Bedard, the veteran Czech netminder has been a bright spot on rebuilding Chicago after injury-filled seasons with Hurricanes, Maple Leafs, then Hawks

Kyle Dubas might not have been wrong about goaltender Petr Mrazek's ability after all, even if the former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager was really off on his timing.

After three injury-filled seasons, Mrazek is looking healthy and sharp in nets, albeit for the Chicago Blackhawks. The 31-year-old goalie is putting up the kind of performances and numbers he did with his first team, the Detroit Red Wings, then the Carolina Hurricanes.

Through nine games and eight starts, Mrazek is 4-4-0 with a 2.86 goals-against average and .919 save percentage on a rebuilding Blackhawks team that's 5-9-0 and often gives up prime chances in waves. Only lowly San Jose and the New York Islanders had allowed more shots per game than Chicago's 34.6 so far.

Mrazek kept the Blackhawks close in Thursday's night's 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay as the Lightning dominated for the final 30 minutes, penning up Chicago and Connor Bedard in their own zone. 

"I've been feeling good since the start of the season," Mrazek said. "The things that we worked on in the offseason and in training camp helped me in the games. I know there are going to be ups and downs in the season, but (I) just to try to keep it on the same level as long as possible and always bounce back." See video:

Mrazek has helped keep the Blackhawks ahead in games for wins or just in games when the the margin of defeat could have been worse. 

Yes, Chicago has NHL rookie scoring leader Connor Bedard as a first-line center. It also has three rookie defensemen — super-promising prospects, but rookies — in the lineup every night. There's a lot of mediocrity elsewhere.

Dubas, now the GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins, signed Mrazek to a three-year, $11.4 million free agent contract ($3.8 million per season) with Toronto in July 2021. The Czech netminder was coming off a 6-2-3 mark in a pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season with a 2.06 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and three shutouts for the Hurricanes. A fractured right thumb and surgery sidelined Mrazek for two months after a strong start.

But that followed two full campaigns when Mrazek's combined mark with Carolina was 44-30-5 with a 2.54 GAA and .909 save percentage with seven shutouts.

Mrazek was supposed to push then-Leafs goalie Jack Campbell to a higher level or even split the netminding load on a team that fancied itself a Stanley Cup contender. But Mrazek was hit with a series of groin injuries after arriving in Toronto and mostly struggled through 20 games with the Leafs in 2021-22.  

Dubas took heat for that signing, among other moves, and dumped Mrazek and his contract to the Blackhawks in a trade in July 2022. Chicago, stocking up on assets, also received Toronto's first-round draft pick in 2022 (25th overall) in exchange for the Blackhawks second-rounder (38th overall) that year.

Mrazek's groin issues continued last season in Chicago as he was sidelined three times. Even on a weak team, his numbers reflected that. Mrazek was 10-22-3 with a 3.66 goals-against and .894 save percentage.

It seems Mrazek has been able to overcome the wonky groin. He said Wednesday he feels "the healthiest I’ve been in five years."

Mrazek also has been addressing mechanical points with Jimmy Waite, the former NHL netminder who's Chicago's goalie coach. See video:

"I wasn't on the post and I was sliding back too much," Mrazek said. "(I'm) just trying to be more focused now, be on top of the crease or be off the post so I can move better because I think I'm a goalie who likes to move better than be on the post."

And seeing a lot of shots hasn't bothered Mrazek so far. He's enjoyed the challenge.

"When a lot of rubber is coming at you, you feel good about your game," Mrazek said. "You feel good about yourself, so that's the key. 

"I would say the confidence is there. It's been a fun ride for the last couple of games."