Desperate Team Offering Goalie for Free After No Trade Interest, And Still No One Wants Him
The Chicago Blackhawks are pretty much handing goaltender Petr Mrazek out for free after low trade interest, however even at such a low cost, teams won't bite.
The Chicago Blackhawks are aggressively pursuing to trade veteran netminder Petr Mrazek in the lead-up to the trade deadline, NHL insider Frank Seravalli writes.
With Spencer Knight in the fold and Arvid Soderblom in the wings, Mrazek has been banished from the Chicago long-term goaltending landscape.
The 33-year-old has had a rough season, posting a 3.46 GAA and .890 save percentage in 33 games. It will not be easy to trade him because he carries a $4.25 million cap hit for next year, and the Blackhawks have no salary retention left.
That puts it on the shoulders of a team to assume his full contract or a third-party facilitator.
Seravalli says its Knight and Soderblom moving forward in net
With all that working against it, GM Kyle Davidson is actively looking for a trade partner. "It's Knight and Arvid Soderblom moving forward," Seravalli affirmed of Mrazek's reported exit.
It would be reminiscent of last offseason's Jake Allen deal when an established goaltender ends up on a non-playoff club in pursuit of stability.
However, Mrazek's streaky performance and meager goalie marketplace might get the trade extended to the off-season.
If no deal is made before the deadline, Chicago might be forced to take back a contract to clear space for a trade.
As time winds down, Mrazek will receive less ice time, if any, with Knight and Soderblom acting as the de facto netminders.
A buyout remains a long shot, but trading him out is a necessity, which is why they're virtually offering to give him away for free.
