Confirmed with Link: Petr Mrazek signed 1 year, 1.5M

[AeroFishOne]

I will also say that I was an adamant Darling hater after he got off on the wrong foot. I wanted him bought out and gone and I hate that it contributes to Cam leaving but after reading others opinions and seeing the goalie market before the draft, I began to have a change of thought. The dude seems like a nice guy and he may have had some issues in his life but I still take issue with getting that type of contract and then coming in completely unprepared.

After seeing what he’s doing to rectify the situation this year, I wish him all the best and genuinely hope he pulls it around. If he could turn it around and remain constantly steady especially with three years remain, that would be one of the best things that could have happened outside of another Svechnikov pick and gives us some luxury with time.

 

[AeroFishOne]

Be creative. Come up with a trade option. If that failed, come up with another trade option. Keep turning over stones until something shook loose that would actually improve this team.

Quite simply, anything better than what someone with no hockey experience could have done after 1 hour of google searching goalie UFAs.

What many are forgetting though is while the return for the other trade partner might be good, what are they going to do to replace a proven starter? They would be in the same situation we are choosing from the same free agent class unless they had someone in the wings. While in a different position then us, why did Buffalo or even NYI not try to move someone for a proven starter instead of going with the free agent options if a deal was to be had?

On the other hand, what are you willing to give up for a proven starter, Most of the ones that would have maybe shaken loose like Varlamov,would have been goalies in their early thirties, which does really nothing but give you a couple years maybe to find another solution and who says we didn’t try. Just because it’s not leaked doesn’t mean that conversations didn’t happen. I know others will disagree but I don’t think last years team as it was built wasn’t going far. The more I watched the more I began to feel that they didn’t have the drive or the talent at that time. The most heart I saw last year was that one game against Florida. We were atleast two or three years away even with good goaltending. But for those that did, what were you willing to give up for maybe a couple years of better goaltending?

Frankly we were just left in a s****y position with our picks and goalies not panning out and being mediocre for so long. All this just doesn’t change over night though.

Playoffs would be spectacular and give a good bump to the fanbase obviously but a first round exit didn’t mean much to me. I’d hate to take on any kind of deal that hamstrings us for the next expansion draft or contract negotiations for our talent like Aho or Svech for a possible stop gap in goal.

That’s just me though, take it for what it’s worth.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

WTF is this post? Waddell wasn't even part of hockey operations until Francis got demoted. He was running the business side.

Seriously what's next....blaming Mike Sundheim? Michael Smith?

Mike Maniscalco imo

 

[CandyCanes]

Mike Maniscalco imo

Actually we can blame this on Chantel McCabe

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Sorry Tarheel. I'm with Kev et al on this one.

If you actually want to convince me, pick a goalie off of Kev's impressively comprehensive list and propose a "creative deal" that will *definitively* improve the Canes goaltending without mortgaging our already tenuous future. Because I just don't see it.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Sorry Tarheel. I'm with Kev et al on this one.

If you actually want to convince me, pick a goalie off of Kev's impressively comprehensive list and propose a "creative deal" that will *definitively* improve the Canes goaltending without mortgaging our already tenuous future. Because I just don't see it.

Again, this is the excuse every. Single. Year. Somehow in our little Canes bubble, there’s never a goalie available. Other teams manage to pick up guys like Schneider and Fleury and Bishop and Luongo and Bobrovsky. Somehow we manage to convince ourselves that “the deals weren’t there”, literally 10 years in a row. There comes a point where it’s not about the market, it’s about consistent failure to find opportunity.

In isolation, I get that in the course of 48 hours a spectacular opportunity might not be available. But I t’s freaking JULY. The season doesn’t start till October. Why in the world are we jumping all over the first dope who’s willing to play for peanuts? There will literally be random Euro goalies and guys on waivers who would give us as good a shot as he does. What’s the rush to hurry up and tank the season as soon as possible? It’s just such a give-up move. For an org that’s asked way too much of the fans already, it’s just disgusting to see them basically say “ah **** it, we probably weren’t gonna make it anyway, let’s just throw some crap out there and pray for miracles”.

 

[Unsustainable]

Petr Mzarek is Dundons 1st Goalie.

Let’s be positive

 

[What the Faulk]

Again, this is the excuse every. Single. Year. Somehow in our little Canes bubble, there’s never a goalie available. Other teams manage to pick up guys like Schneider and Fleury and Bishop and Luongo and Bobrovsky. Somehow we manage to convince ourselves that “the deals weren’t there”, literally 10 years in a row. There comes a point where it’s not about the market, it’s about consistent failure to find opportunity.

Schneider was had for the 8th overall pick. Fleury was an expansion draft casualty. Luongo wanted to go back to Florida. Bobrovsky got dealt for a 2nd and two 4th round picks after posting an .899 save percentage in 29 games in his final Flyers season. Bishop had become a backup when LA acquired him, and he didn't work there. Then his rights got traded to Dallas who signed him to a 6 year 4.8M AAV deal without him playing a game. Sounds very similar. So far that one has worked out, but we'll see how long that lasts.

Which one of these should they have been in on without the aid of hindsight bias?

When Lack and Darling were acquired, they were attempting to do exactly what you've been clamoring for them to do in this thread. And it didn't work. But that doesn't mean efforts weren't made.

In isolation, I get that in the course of 48 hours a spectacular opportunity might not be available. But I t’s freaking JULY. The season doesn’t start till October. Why in the world are we jumping all over the first dope who’s willing to play for peanuts? There will literally be random Euro goalies and guys on waivers who would give us as good a shot as he does. What’s the rush to hurry up and tank the season as soon as possible? It’s just such a give-up move. For an org that’s asked way too much of the fans already, it’s just disgusting to see them basically say “ah **** it, we probably weren’t gonna make it anyway, let’s just throw some crap out there and pray for miracles”.

So why are you complaining about it? It's not like they signed some 35-year-old to compete with Darling. This dude posted good numbers in Detroit. And at 1.5M, it's not like they can't make another move if someone comes available. And right now, no one is.

 

[GoldiFox]

Look at the bright side, Mrazek was the cheapest goalie that signed (market valued him at 1/2 Cam Ward) so we can bring in another one when he fails! Winning (or losing, I guess)!

Yes, we downgraded the goaltending... but upgraded our opportunities. Just look at those UFAs next year. Surely we can all be civil and upbeat while the Canes tank away their 10th year in a row.

And if we miss on all of next year’s solutions, have you seen the 2020-2021 class of UFA goalies? Maybe the Canes should just bide their time and wait for that group. Holtby and Crawford look ripe for the pickin (in 2 years)!

 

[Chan790]

Expecting a guy on the job for like 2 months to fix this issue is just a bit unrealistic.

No, it's not. In my workplace, all new hires are probationary for the first 120 days.

If we fired the last guy because there was a specific problem that you're being hired to repair and your solution is "punt" or "band-aid."... then "well, no. We don't owe you an explanation, pack your shit and go."

Saying there's a lack of other clear solutions is not acceptable. I could have done that...you're being paid to find or create a solution. Anything else is bullshit and/or excuses.

I think it's a good model. Early and immediate accountability is a good thing. You're either right for the job or wrong...and it's best to move on from a hiring mistake as early as possible.

Waddell is clearly not fit for the job.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

Anyone think they are trying to sign Lehner to a 1 year deal as well and the open it up 100% to competition in camp for the two spots between Mrazek, Darling, Ned, and Lehner?

I don't think they are... But that's what I would do at this point

 

[What the Faulk]

Look at the bright side, Mrazek was the cheapest goalie that signed (market valued him at 1/2 Cam Ward) so we can bring in another one when he fails! Winning (or losing, I guess)!

Yes flexibility is bad. So is being 26 with bad numbers in your last stop. Oh but they should have brought in Ben Bishop a couple of years ago when he was in virtually the same spot in his career and given him 30 million.

No one who hates this move has suggested a better alternative. That's because there isn't one. Only lateral moves.

 

[MinJaBen]

Let’s be positive

Ok. I'm positive we will be a lottery team with this tandem.

 

[Unsustainable]

Ok. I'm positive we will be a lottery team with this tandem.

1 like = 1 prayer for Hughes.

 

[GoldiFox]

Yes flexibility is bad. So is being 26 with bad numbers in your last stop. Oh but they should have brought in Ben Bishop a couple of years ago when he was in virtually the same spot in his career and given him 30 million.

No one who hates this move has suggested a better alternative. That's because there isn't one. Only lateral moves.

Ward/Darling to Darling/Mrazek isn’t a lateral move. It’s a clear downgrade in any way you look at it. The stats, what the Free Market dictated, the history, the pedigree, etc.

There were like a dozen top KHL, FEL, Czech, etc. goalies that signed. Koskinen, Francouz, Rybar, Vehvilainen, etc. The Canes weren’t interested in bringing in ONE of those essentially zero-cost guys to add competition? That seems almost negligent to me given their options.

 

[MinJaBen]

1 like = 1 prayer for Hughes.

Just to be clear, are we praying to get Hughes, or are we praying for Hughes? Because if it is the latter, I'm going to pray a really good team pulls a goof and misses the playoffs and he gets drafted by them. I'd hate for him to waste his years away here like McDavid is doing in Edmonton on a team with an inept front office.

Ward/Darling to Darling/Mrazek isn’t a lateral move. It’s a clear downgrade in any way you look at it. The stats, what the Free Market dictated, the history, the pedigree, etc.

There were like a dozen top KHL, FEL, Czech, etc. goalies that signed. Koskinen, Francouz, Rybar, Vehvilainen, etc. The Canes weren’t interested in bringing in ONE of those essentially zero-cost guys to add competition? That seems almost negligent to me given their options.

Quoting because I can only like a post once and that seems like a travesty here.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Mrazek has as much a chance to work out as most of your examples that. Bob was bad and unproven, Bishop was an older backup/AHLer when Tampa acquired him. Schneider was a great, but still unproven backup. Fleury wasn't even particularly good in his last year with the Penguins. And as mentioned, Luongo would only go one place.

I do think there were better options available, but only marginally. And honestly, we all know goalies are voodoo. Maybe Bales can get something out of him. Maybe our goalies will have more success in our new system or lack thereof. I'm still much happier taking two chances to find a starter rather than bringing back Ward yet again. He has no upside. At least these guys do, even if it's not a crazy high chance they reach it.

 

[Ole Gil]

Maybe Mrazek will be good. He has a great season in the books, and prior to the past 2, his career trajectory has been consistently that of a very good goalie.

We've been wrong every other year, maybe we'll keep that trend going and be wrong again this year!

 

[What the Faulk]

Ward/Darling to Darling/Mrazek isn’t a lateral move. It’s a clear downgrade in any way you look at it. The stats, what the Free Market dictated, the history, the pedigree, etc.

There were like a dozen top KHL, FEL, Czech, etc. goalies that signed. Koskinen, Francouz, Rybar, Vehvilainen, etc. The Canes weren’t interested in bringing in ONE of those essentially zero-cost guys to add competition? That seems almost negligent to me given their options.

So your solution was to do the same exact thing that didn't work and hope that this time it did? You'd be okay with them bringing in some guy who wasn't in the NHL, and when he was unlikely to beat out Ward or Darling for a spot in training camp, burying him in the minors ahead of Ned?

Back to the topic -- people are so focused on how Mrazek failed in Philadelphia (a team who had horrid defense and goaltending all year), but the dude posted a .910 in Detroit (in 5 more GP), which was better than what Cam put up here. Maybe it works out, maybe it doesn't, but it's a low-cost shot in time, money, and assets. If it doesn't work out it, doesn't work out, but there was never going to be a good opportunity to fix the position this offseason.

 

[GoldiFox]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the Canes could have already brought in Petr Mrazek and given him a 20 game tryout to avoid gambling an entire season on a $1.5 million UFA.

They didn’t, because the Canes never do the persistent things a team needs to find a starting goalie. Last season it was “Fix our goaltending, are you kidding? That would cost like $600k to try Mrazek”. The Canes have been married to Cam for over a decade and the second he left they hitched their wagon to Darling instead of putting in the work and resources necessary to find an actual solution.

You can’t convince me that a team with Scott Darling as a 1A/1B couldn’t find ONE overseas goalie that they considered potentially better. The Canes can’t possibly be the “smartest team in the room” when it comes to constantly passing on outside goalie options.

 

[Chrispy]

Ward/Darling to Darling/Mrazek isn’t a lateral move. It’s a clear downgrade in any way you look at it. The stats, what the Free Market dictated, the history, the pedigree, etc.

There were like a dozen top KHL, FEL, Czech, etc. goalies that signed. Koskinen, Francouz, Rybar, Vehvilainen, etc. The Canes weren’t interested in bringing in ONE of those essentially zero-cost guys to add competition? That seems almost negligent to me given their options.

This is the part that frustrates me the most. Failing to get any potential goalie out of Europe who could at least come in and be a third competitor for the goaltending job is a complete miss.

I do hold out hope that Lehner can be signed to a cheap one-year deal or the opportunity exists to pick up someone via trade as the summer progresses or even off waivers as camps finish, but that seems less and less likely. At least the salary paid to Mrazek makes it a possibility. But a failure to do anything else to shore up the goalie position would indicate it's just being cheap rather than flexible.

Of the recent options, the only truly frustrating one for me was picking Darling over Bishop last season. Even then, it remains to be seen how Bishop holds up over time. It's a guess, but I think most would agree a playoff spot would have been much more likely for Carolina with Bishop's performance last season.

 

[StormCast]

Anyone think they are trying to sign Lehner to a 1 year deal as well and the open it up 100% to competition in camp for the two spots between Mrazek, Darling, Ned, and Lehner?

I don't think they are... But that's what I would do at this point

That's party understandable from a Canes' perspective, the $ aside, but implausible from Lehner's. No way he'd agree to a try out when he can just sign with the NYI or at least find a back-up role somewhere at worst.

 

[MinJaBen]

...and prior to the past 2, his career trajectory has been consistently that of a very good goalie.

So at the NHL level, half? And his best half was the first half, but that is supposed to give us confidence that he is going to work out?

 

[What the Faulk]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the Canes could have already brought in Petr Mrazek and given him a 20 game tryout to avoid gambling an entire season on a $1.5 million UFA.

They didn’t, because the Canes never do the persistent things a team needs to find a starting goalie. Last season it was “Fix our goaltending, are you kidding? That would cost like $600k to try Mrazek”. The Canes have been married to Cam for over a decade and the second he left they hitched their wagon to Darling instead of putting in the work and resources necessary to find an actual solution.

You can’t convince me that a team with Scott Darling as a 1A/1B couldn’t find ONE overseas goalie that they considered potentially better. The Canes can’t possibly be the “smartest team in the room” when it comes to constantly passing on outside goalie options.

No, it would cost an asset.

And that sounds exactly like what they did.

"Mike Bales spent a lot of time on this goalie, watching a lot of video … and talking to goalie coaches that he had. Mike came away with a great understanding of how he's played and how the last couple of years have gone for him," Waddell said. "Mike felt that he's not a guy who has a style that needs to be changed, but just has to work on it and tweak it some. He felt very comfortable with the skills Petr shows."

To his credit, Mrazek, who has a 2.66 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage and 14 shutouts over six career seasons, has already begun making some tweaks to his game.
"In the last few years I changed my style a little bit," he said. "I was moving in the net a little too much, going outside of the blue paint. I'm working on the stuff to be more patient in net and waiting on the shot. Last season I established that a little bit more, and that's something I'm working on right now in the offseason."

With the opportunity to prove himself comes the opportunity to vie for the crease with the Hurricanes. The Canes are hoping Scott Darling can rebound from an inconsistent first year with the team, and competition is going to drive both netminders in training camp.
"We have to go in with a very open mind. Competition is good," Waddell said. "Competition brings out the best in people. Nobody is going to be appointed the No. 1 job without going out and proving it."

"Bring in a goaltender!"

*does research, brings in a 26-year-old guy with decent career numbers for cheap*

"Okay but not that one actually just bring back the same guys and maybe give some Euro kid an unwinnable camp invite"

 

[Joe McGrath]

Of the recent options, the only truly frustrating one for me was picking Darling over Bishop last season. Even then, it remains to be seen how Bishop holds up over time. It's a guess, but I think most would agree a playoff spot would have been much more likely for Carolina with Bishop's performance last season.

They didn’t pick Darling over Bishop. Bishop was always going to Dallas.