The Blackhawks are reportedly pursuing a move for goaltender Petr Mrázek, despite the limited goalie market this season, following the acquisition of 2019 first-rounder Spencer Knight in a significant deal with the Panthers. This move is expected to be aggressive.
Blackhawks are considering trading goaltender Petr Mrázek
The Chicago Blackhawks are reportedly considering trading veteran goalie Petr Mrazek for free, but may face challenges due to his two-year, $8,500,000 contract. A trade is expected to occur in the summer rather than before the deadline. “Petr Mrazek is very much available, and the #Blackhawks are willing to move him for free. The problem is the money and term. Likely a summer move,” Mrazek tweeted on Wednesday.
The Chicago Blackhawks are making a strong push to move goaltender Petr Mrázek ahead of the deadline, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. However, given the limited demand for goalies this season, offloading him won’t be easy. Their urgency to part ways with the veteran became even clearer after acquiring former first-round pick Spencer Knight from the Florida Panthers in a major trade last weekend.
Mrázek was left out of the lineup for Knight’s impressive Chicago debut, with Arvid Söderblom stepping in as the backup instead. Over 33 games this season, the 32-year-old netminder has posted a 3.46 goals-against average and a .890 save percentage—well below league averages. The one exception has been his .788 save percentage on high-danger chances, ranking 21st among 55 eligible goalies, according to MoneyPuck.
His struggles this year contrast with last season’s solid performance, where he played a career-high 56 games behind a struggling Blackhawks team. That inconsistency has fueled his reputation as a fringe starting option. Complicating a potential trade is his $4.25 million cap hit for next season, combined with the fact that Chicago has no remaining salary retention slots until the summer. Given these factors, the Blackhawks may have to wait until after July 1 to resolve their crowded goalie situation.
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One way to facilitate a move sooner would be involving a third team to absorb part of Mrázek’s salary. However, with so few teams in need of goaltending, it’s unlikely anyone would be willing to jump through those hoops. This season has seen little movement in the goalie market, with only a handful of trades, including Mackenzie Blackwood going to Colorado in exchange for Alexander Georgiev. Anaheim’s John Gibson is one of the few other netminders on the trade block, but most contenders, like the Edmonton Oilers, have bigger priorities and lack the cap space to take on a sizable contract like Mrázek’s without sacrificing flexibility elsewhere.