Mrazek, a veteran of 10 seasons, made his NHL debut on Feb. 7, 2013, with the Detroit Red Wings, who drafted him three years earlier in the fifth round. Since then, he has seen stints with the Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, and most recently, the Maple Leafs, and appearing in 295 career regular-season contests. Over his career, the netminder has posted a career 2.64 goals-against average, .909 save percentage, and 24 shutouts, along with 29 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.
His most recent campaign with the Maple Leafs, during which he made 18 starts in net and collected 12 wins, was disrupted by consecutive groin injuries that left him sidelined. Despite the obstacles, Mrazek expressed one overarching sentiment during his first media availability on Wednesday: there's no need to "prove himself" this year.
"I'm always motivated every single year, every single game I play," Mrazek said. "I don't think there's something to prove. I've been in the league for a long time, and I know how to prepare for the season. Injuries happen in hockey careers to everyone and last year especially, it was the year that I wasn't able to stay healthy. So for me, the number one priority is to prepare this offseason to get ready, get healthy and play the game that I like and I know how to play."
Mrazek was attained as part of a trade with Toronto during the 2022 NHL Draft, in addition to a first-round pick this year in return for Chicago's natural second-round at 38th overall. While Mrazek said he was caught a bit off guard due to his recently penned three-year deal with the Leafs, he sees the upcoming season with the Blackhawks not only as a chance to grow, but also to help the younger players in the organization's rebuilding plans.
"I see it as an opportunity for me to be healthy and play a lot of games and that's all that matters," Mrazek said. "I feel like just to be positive, and I'm sure once the season starts and the younger guys are going to play more games, they're going to feel more comfortable playing and I just want to help them as much as I can."
More than anything, Mrazek is excited to call the United Center, a place he is quite familiar with after starting his career with the Red Wings, home.
"I'm really happy to be in Chicago," Mrazek said. "I used to love playing in this building and I spent a lot of time [here]. I'm looking forward to it, and I'm excited and can't wait to start the season. It's been a tough season with injuries, so that's something I want to put aside and have fun on the ice and enjoy every moment."
