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The Carolina Hurricanes have officially signed goalie Petr Mrazek to a one-year, $1.5 million contract for the 2018-19 season.
Mrazek, 26, has played in 183 NHL games over parts of six seasons. This past season, the Czech goalie split time with the Detroit Red Wings, who drafted him in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, and the Philadelphia Flyers, who acquired him via trade before the deadline.
He struggled down the stretch for the Flyers last season, posting an .891 save percentage in 17 regular season games after being traded. He has a career .911 save percentage.
Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said on Saturday that the Canes would be signing a goalie, and he kept his word. Whether or not this signing will prove to be an upgrade over what they have had over the past few seasons, only time will tell.
“Petr brings a lot of experience for a young goalie,” said Waddell in a statement on Sunday. ”We expect to have healthy competition for the starter’s crease this fall.”
NHL free agency officially opened at noon EST on Sunday. The Canes are still involved in trade rumors surrounding Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk, and qualified RFA Trevor van Riemsdyk still has not agreed to terms on a new contract with the team.
Cam Ward signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Chicago Blackhawks earlier today, so his time in Carolina has officially come to an end.
The official press release from the team on the Mrazek signing:
Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with goaltender Petr Mrazek on a one-year contract. The deal will pay Mrazek $1.5 million for the 2018-19 season.
”Petr brings a lot of experience for a young goalie,” said Waddell. ”We expect to have healthy competition for the starter’s crease this fall.”
A native of Ostrava, Czech Republic, Mrazek is 78-64-23 in his NHL career, holding a 2.66 GAA and .911 save percentage along with 14 shutouts. He has appeared in 11 career playoff games (4-6 record), with a 1.98 GAA, .927 save percentage and three shutouts. As the primary starter for Detroit in 2015-16, Mrazek went 27-16-6 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .921 save percentage, leading the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup playoff berth.
Mrazek (6’2”, 181 lbs.) made his NHL debut in a 5-1 win at St. Louis on February 7, 2013, and has logged over 2,000 minutes in each of the last three seasons. His 183 career games played are second-most in the NHL by any active goaltender under the age of 27. Mrazek went 14-13-6 during the 2017-18 season with Detroit and Philadelphia, posting a 3.03 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage with four shutouts. The 26-year-old goalie was traded from the Red Wings to the Flyers on February 19, 2018 in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft (Seth Barton).
Mrazek has represented the Czech Republic in a number of international competitions including the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, the 2012 and 2017 IIHF World Championships and the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he was named Best Goalie. In 2013, he backstopped the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins to a Calder Cup championship.