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Forums :: Blog World :: Bob Duff: Taking A Flyer On Petr
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Bob Duff
Location: Windsor, ON
Joined: 11.10.2014

Feb 19 @ 11:04 PM ET
Bob Duff: Taking A Flyer On Petr The Detroit Red Wings took advantage of Philadelphia's desperate goaltending situation to deal Petr Mrazek to the Flyers on Monday.
gergeswillems
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Malkin wants to be The Man, ON
Joined: 02.01.2016

Feb 19 @ 11:10 PM ET
Holland got what he could for him. I knew he wouldn't trade his Love child Jimmy Howard. I guess they'll call up Coreau now.
GeoffY
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Spaniard\\\'s Bay, NF
Joined: 02.23.2017

Feb 19 @ 11:21 PM ET
AI was honestly praying to get rid of Howard. I realize Ken Holland had limited options, but Howard fits a 4th and 3rd round pick better.
I think Mrazek was definitely worth a 2nd round 2018 pick and a 3rd round 2019 pick or prospect.
With a substantially increased workload, Mrazek will play very well in Philly.
I think he will turn out be the best goaltender to play for the Philadelphia Flyers in thirty years.
I wish Peter Mrazek the very best and good luck in his new found home.
Hokeeguy9
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Joined: 06.25.2012

Feb 19 @ 11:40 PM ET
Both teams did what they had to do, and seems fair considering all the uncertainty of the deal and the players performance. Hope it works out for both teams.
dcz28
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Ottawa, ON
Joined: 08.20.2006

Feb 20 @ 1:00 AM ET
Wish Howard was the one traded. Hope Holland, the coaching staff and the scouting staff all get the boot soon. I don't want another year of any of them.
gergeswillems
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Malkin wants to be The Man, ON
Joined: 02.01.2016

Feb 20 @ 7:00 AM ET
Wish Howard was the one traded. Hope Holland, the coaching staff and the scouting staff all get the boot soon. I don't want another year of any of them.
- dcz28

Me neither.
Vladdie_Kon1
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Joined: 04.21.2007

Feb 20 @ 7:33 AM ET
Wish Howard was the one traded. Hope Holland, the coaching staff and the scouting staff all get the boot soon. I don't want another year of any of them.
- dcz28


Yep... ditto for me too.

I've had enough of Holland. Good grief... I hope Chris Illitch doesn't let his dad's loyalty to Holland and Holland's long tenure in Detroit blind him to the terrible job Holland has done the last 8 years. Any coach coach that sucked that bad would get the boot way sooner. The scouting / drafting has gone to total crap since Jim Nill and his best scouts left for dallas. At least they still have Hakan Anderson in Europe.

Howard gets injured all the time and is just as inconsistent as Mrazek with less upside. Coreau has really looked excellent in Grand Rapids the last few months. I have to think that may have influenced this decision to some extent. Coreau still has to prove to me he's an NHL caliber goalie as I'm not completely sold on him yet. Time will tell.
Sven22
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Joined: 12.24.2007

Feb 20 @ 7:58 AM ET
Here's your friendly neighborhood reminder that Jared Coreau is 26 years old. He's older than Petr Mrazek.
J35Bacher
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 04.03.2014

Feb 20 @ 8:05 AM ET
So how is this deal in Redwing Land being taken?

As Flyers fan i think it was a fair deal but i am surprised that Detroit is giving up on him. Do they have a future goalie that is close?
gergeswillems
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Malkin wants to be The Man, ON
Joined: 02.01.2016

Feb 20 @ 8:05 AM ET
Here's your friendly neighborhood reminder that Jared Coreau is 26 years old. He's older than Petr Mrazek.
- Sven22

Uggghhh..
gergeswillems
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Malkin wants to be The Man, ON
Joined: 02.01.2016

Feb 20 @ 8:06 AM ET
So how is this deal in Redwing Land being taken?

As Flyers fan i think it was a fair deal but i am surprised that Detroit is giving up on him. Do they have a future goalie that is close?

- J35Bacher

Holland's Love Child, Howard, had no trade value with another year left on his contract at 5.3 mil. Holland would never trade his son.

Petruzelli and Larsson are the future. But they're both years away. It's a great deal for Philly. Buys time until Hart is ready. I hope Mrazek shoves it up Holland's a$$.
Vladdie_Kon1
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Joined: 04.21.2007

Feb 20 @ 8:48 AM ET
Would not be surprised at all if Mrazek thrives in Philly and takes the #1 job. If he gets his swagger back and shores up his game (consistency) he will be an excellent pickup for Philly. It was a good gamble for Philly (especially with Detroit taking half his salary this season).

And most importantly, it would show Holland made another stupid decision / trade. Holland has always had his favorite veterans which has blinded his decision making.
Sven22
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Joined: 12.24.2007

Feb 20 @ 8:49 AM ET
So how is this deal in Redwing Land being taken?

As Flyers fan i think it was a fair deal but i am surprised that Detroit is giving up on him. Do they have a future goalie that is close?

- J35Bacher


Mixed. Mrazek is a divisive topic (just like all Wings goalies in my lifetime have been, aside from Hasek in 2002.) The arc of his NHL career so far has been good-bordering-on-great for a season and a half, then abysmal last year, and now crazy streaky this year. I try to look at the "big picture" when it comes to goalies since even good ones have bad years from time to time, and Mrazek's career numbers suggest he's about league average. But man, it's been a roller coaster getting there.

Personally, I'm irritated and even a little sad about the move, but I'm not completely objective here -- I live in Grand Rapids, where Mrazek won an AHL championship, so he's always been one of my favorites.

That said, Mrazek was the only goalie in the system who had any real shot at being a high level goalie any time in the near term future. Howard is old and is what he is (until he starts getting way worse, which could be anytime now). Coreau and McCollum are journeymen at best. Machovsky is 24 and until this trade was stuck in the ECHL. They've got a 21-year-old who is a backup in Switzerland. It's not pretty.

I get why the trade was necessary in context. There were surely no takers for Howard. They probably decided they couldn't afford to qualify Mrazek, carry two goalies for $9+ million next year, and resign all their young forwards. Considering how awful the goalie market is generally, the fact that they could have lost him for nothing to Vegas, and they'd probably have lost him for nothing next offseason if they didn't trade him now, two conditional picks is nothing to sneeze at.

But you can file it under the list of "necessary" sacrifice trades that are the continuing fallout from Ken Holland's complete roster mismanagement over the last several years. It was necessary only because the team spent so extravagantly and foolishly on mediocre support players during the last gasps of the playoff streak, and has built a roster that is somehow both one of the worst in the league AND in cap hell for the next several years. If the team had begun the rebuild a year or two ago, instead of being dragged into it kicking and screaming, they could have easily qualified Mrazek, kept both goalies another year, walked away from one or both afterward. Instead they have to give up early on useful players while dead weight like Abdelkader, DeKeyser, Ericsson and Howard grind out their stupid contracts.

EDIT: Some typo fixes
J35Bacher
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 04.03.2014

Feb 20 @ 9:37 AM ET
Mixed. Mrazek is a divisive topic (just like all Wings goalies in my lifetime have been, aside from Hasek in 2002.) The arc of his NHL career so far has been good-bordering-on-great for a season and a half, then abysmal last year, and now crazy streaky this year. I try to look at the "big picture" when it comes to goalies since even good ones have bad years from time to time, and Mrazek's career numbers suggest he's about league average. But man, it's been a roller coaster getting there.

Personally, I'm irritated and even a little sad about the move, but I'm not completely objective here -- I live in Grand Rapids, where Mrazek won an AHL championship, so he's always been one of my favorites.

That said, Mrazek was the only goalie in the system who had any real shot at being a high level goalie any time in the near term future. Howard is old and is what he is (until he starts getting way worse, which could be anytime now). Coreau and McCollum are journeymen at best. Machovsky is 24 and until this trade was stuck in the ECHL. They've got a 21-year-old who is a backup in Switzerland. It's not pretty.

I get why the trade was necessary in context. There were surely no takers for Howard. They probably decided they couldn't afford to qualify Mrazek, carry two goalies for $9+ million next year, and resign all their young forwards. Considering how awful the goalie market is generally, the fact that they could have lost him for nothing to Vegas, and they'd probably have lost him for nothing next offseason if they didn't trade him now, two conditional picks is nothing to sneeze at.

But you can file it under the list of "necessary" sacrifice trades that are the continuing fallout from Ken Holland's complete roster mismanagement over the last several years. It was necessary only because the team spent so extravagantly and foolishly on mediocre support players during the last gasps of the playoff streak, and has built a roster that is somehow both one of the worst in the league AND in cap hell for the next several years. If the team had begun the rebuild a year or two ago, instead of being dragged into it kicking and screaming, they could have easily qualified Mrazek, kept both goalies another year, walked away from one or both afterward. Instead they have to give up early on useful players while dead weight like Abdelkader, DeKeyser, Ericsson and Howard grind out their stupid contracts.

EDIT: Some typo fixes

- Sven22



I didn't know how wings fans felt so that's why I asked. I actually think it has future implications too. I can see Mrazek being resigned to something lower than his QO will be. This way next year it is Elliott/Mrazek and then the following year you have Mrazek and possibly Hart if he is ready.
Sven22
Detroit Red Wings
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Joined: 12.24.2007

Feb 20 @ 10:04 AM ET
I didn't know how wings fans felt so that's why I asked. I actually think it has future implications too. I can see Mrazek being resigned to something lower than his QO will be. This way next year it is Elliott/Mrazek and then the following year you have Mrazek and possibly Hart if he is ready.
- J35Bacher


Yeah. I mean, taking emotion out of it and ignoring the long sequence of roster building mistakes on Holland's part that lead up to it, I think it's a fair deal for both sides.

Philly gets an experienced goalie who comes with some question marks but still has at least an outside chance of putting it all together and being really good, maybe even great, for the next several years (or at least the rest of this one). Detroit is also covering half the salary, which means the Flyers have more room to load up on a big ticket rental or two yet if the opportunity comes along.

Detroit gets, at the very worst, a fourth round pick for a goalie who had no value at the start of this year and was going to walk for free. And the better Mrazek and Philly do, the better the return gets. Most likely that fourth will end up at least a third, and they might get a bonus third to boot if Mrazek re-signs. That's a high price to pay for a goalie in this market, but Philly was desperate and they only pay it if the deal works out for them in the end.

I still hate that it happened and had to happen, and it doesn't make up for all the mistakes Holland made leading up to it, but under the circumstances I think both teams get good value here.

I love Mrazek and hope he plays lights out for you guys.
J35Bacher
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 04.03.2014

Feb 20 @ 10:07 AM ET
Yeah. I mean, taking emotion out of it and ignoring the long sequence of roster building mistakes on Holland's part that lead up to it, I think it's a fair deal for both sides.

Philly gets an experienced goalie who comes with some question marks but still has at least an outside chance of putting it all together and being really good, maybe even great, for the next several years (or at least the rest of this one). Detroit is also covering half the salary, which means the Flyers have more room to load up on a big ticket rental or two yet if the opportunity comes along.

Detroit gets, at the very worst, a fourth round pick for a goalie who had no value at the start of this year and was going to walk for free. And the better Mrazek and Philly do, the better the return gets. Most likely that fourth will end up at least a third, and they might get a bonus third to boot if Mrazek re-signs. That's a high price to pay for a goalie in this market, but Philly was desperate and they only pay it if the deal works out for them in the end.

I still hate that it happened and had to happen, and it doesn't make up for all the mistakes Holland made leading up to it, but under the circumstances I think both teams get good value here.

I love Mrazek and hope he plays lights out for you guys.

- Sven22


I feel like this deal is very similar to when the Flyers got Steve Mason from Columbus. Mason was able to come in and he was solid for the Flyers in his time here. It was a low risk move for the Flyers.

Even if they go to the conference finals and give up a 2nd it will be a late 2nd rounder. So I think it's a solid deal if it gets you to the conference finals.
bikeguy99
New Jersey Devils
Joined: 09.05.2017

Feb 20 @ 2:04 PM ET
AI was honestly praying to get rid of Howard. I realize Ken Holland had limited options, but Howard fits a 4th and 3rd round pick better.
I think Mrazek was definitely worth a 2nd round 2018 pick and a 3rd round 2019 pick or prospect.
With a substantially increased workload, Mrazek will play very well in Philly.
I think he will turn out be the best goaltender to play for the Philadelphia Flyers in thirty years.
I wish Peter Mrazek the very best and good luck in his new found home.

- GeoffY


Ya a 3rd and 4th are far from great picks, but at least its cap space off the books. Any idea on what the conditions are regarding those picks? Maybe it is possible to become a 2nd......
Feds91Stammer
Detroit Red Wings
Location: "China was as proactive as possible" - Rinosaur, SC
Joined: 02.01.2012

Feb 20 @ 2:42 PM ET
Ya a 3rd and 4th are far from great picks, but at least its cap space off the books. Any idea on what the conditions are regarding those picks? Maybe it is possible to become a 2nd......
- bikeguy99

Go read the Philly blog. Its all in there.
bikeguy99
New Jersey Devils
Joined: 09.05.2017

Feb 20 @ 3:06 PM ET
Go read the Philly blog. Its all in there.
- Feds91Stammer


Thanks. So in short, Mrazek takes philly to eastern finals with 6 wins and the 3rd becomes a second. Obviously thats very unlikely, as for the 3rd, it becomes another 3rd if Mrazek re-signs this off-season which is more likely.
Bigfrog
Detroit Red Wings
Joined: 06.12.2006

Feb 20 @ 6:12 PM ET
Mrazek has been up and down as a Red Wing. I was hoping he would be a solid number one goal tender for Detroit, but it didn't work out that way. An obvious salary dump for Holland. At least he got something. Good luck to Petr in Philly.