BLOG: Mrazek ‘Thankful’ For Another Opportunity with Blackhawks 

After the recent contract extensions with Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson, Petr Mrazek joined the group on Wednesday after the Chicago Blackhawks announced his two-year contract. 

With his new contract signed, the veteran goaltender reflected on his journey to Chicago and the improvement he noticed within his own game. Now, he is preparing to focus on how he can help the team as they move forward. 

“I'm very happy that [we got] it done and I'm very grateful for the opportunity that I had last year and what's going to bring us moving forward,” Mrazek said. 

The Blackhawks acquired Mrazek in July 2022 from the Toronto Maple Leafs along with a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, where they selected defenseman Sam Rinzel, in exchange for their second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Since then, Mrazek became the first Blackhawks goaltender to have 10-plus wins in consecutive seasons since Corey Crawford (2010-11 to 2019-20).

Despite his battle with injuries over the last few seasons, he felt that he showcased what he could add to the team especially as he entered this season. With his new contract, he praised Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson for always having that belief that he could still play in the league. 

“The opportunity he gave me to prove that I can play the game and I can still be around makes me really thankful to them,” Mrazek said. 

Head coach Luke Richardson also described the consistent style that Mrazek brought over the last few months this season as the team struggled to find wins in both his game and his communication. 

With a younger group of players this season, Richardson described how Mrazek’s communication with his defense allowed them to learn from their netminder and how to see the game better. 

“His communication with the defenseman, especially, is huge,” Richardson said. “With a lot of young guys on our defensive core this year, that's been helpful.”

Despite a 12-17-1 record, Mrazek still knows he can perform at his best level but also wants to focus on how he can help the team grow on the ice in the future. 

“I've been playing every night and been healthy, feeling good about [myself],” Mrazek said. “Having good games definitely helps, but the number one thing for me is to turn things around here as a team and start winning games.”