Toronto Maple Leafs: Ranking the Possible Options for Petr Mrazek

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When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Petr Mrazek last summer, it wasn’t meant to end up looking like this.

The Toronto Maple Leafs gave up on Freddie Andersen and essentially made a one-for-one trade on free agent goalies. In doing so, the Carolina Hurricanes got Freddie and the Leafs got Petr Mrazek and it looked to be a solid deal, especially with one more cheap year of Jack Campbell too.

For the first time in a very long while, it looked like the Maple Leafs had a genuine 1A/1B goaltending tandem.

The unfortunate reality though was that Jack Campbell was the number one and by the season end, Petr Mrazek had been waived and was number three.

In fact, he wasn’t even on the bench for the Leafs first round series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The backup there was NHL newcomer Erik Kallgren. Any time a rookie is able to usurp the veteran of 295 regular season games, questions inevitably need to be asked.

For Mrazek, the issue is as much staying healthy as it is putting in good performances. Those two traits rarely coincided with each other.

On the few occasions he seemed to build a little form, injuries inevitably came to pass. Upon his returns, he seldom looked confident from the get-go. Inconsistent performances were far too common.

All of this would be okay if he wasn’t being paid $3.8 million per season. If his deal was closer to the $1-2 million mark, far less questions might be asked.

However that is not the case and his $3.8 million a season feels like a bit of a boat anchor, especially with the pressing need to find money for multiple contract renewals.

Hence as the Maple Leafs look ahead to next season, they have a decision to make regarding what exactly they do with Petr Mrazek and his overpriced contract.

Mar 27, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Petr Mrazek (35) . Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Toronto Maple Leafs Options: Give Him A Second Chance

Perhaps the least likely option is that the Toronto Maple Leafs bring Mrazek back for another season.

It feels unlikely purely because he is being paid a premium, at least with the Leafs salary cap make-up and bringing him back likely sees Jack Campbell priced out of a return in terms of spare cap space.

It is possible, however, that they believe that Petr Mrazek can reach the heights he managed through four games this past January.

Across the first month of 2022, he managed to post a 2.11 goals against average and a 0.921 save percentage, which are both very solid numbers.

However given we’re talking a sample size of just four games, Mrazek would need to be doing a lot more to prove himself worthy of staying in Toronto.

In fact taking a deeper dive on those four games, they were against the New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes, New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings; hardly high-flying teams last season.

Any return would be predicated on the idea that Mrazek can get back to both his Carolina form and fitness. After all, in two of his three years with the Canes, he played 40 games.

There is a little there to suggest that he can still be the player he needs to be, but it’s really not quite enough to fill you with a ton of confidence.

With his contract cost, it feels like this is the least likely option that the Toronto Maple Leafs opt for.

Buy Out His Contract

While not as pricey as the previous option, this route has longer term impacts to the Toronto Maple Leafs salary cap situation.

Heading into next season, the Toronto Maple Leafs finally have a clean slate when it comes to any sort of salary retention or buyouts.

The remnants of the Phil Kessel contract finally disappearing from the books this summer should allow the Leafs the tiniest fraction more breathing room.

Hence why it seems a slightly flawed approach to consider a buyout of Petr Mrazek. After finally shaking the $1.2 million per season payment to Kessel, they’d essentially sign up for four years of paying Mrazek to be off the books.

Granted a buyout does net the Toronto Maple Leafs savings of $2.76 million this season and $2.96 million the following year.

However, it then stings them for $1.43 million for a bonus two more years. A small amount maybe, but one that initially hits as William Nylander and Austin Matthews seek new deals.

Rest assured a buyout is absolutely an avenue the Maple Leafs will be exploring if it’s a way to shake this contract. It’s just an approach requiring a lot of careful consideration.

Carrying money against the salary cap for a player that is no longer available to play for the team is never something you want to see, so the Toronto Maple Leafs will be doing their utmost to avoid it.

Mar 2, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Petr Mrazek (35) watches the puck hit the post during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /

Find a Trade Partner

If only finding a trade partner was as easy of an approach as we make it sound. If that was really the case, the Toronto Maple Leafs would already be free of Petr Mrazek’s contract.

There not many goalies available on the trade market that would balance out the Toronto Maple Leafs salary cap situation, even if Petr Mrazek heads the other way.

One suggestion has been floated around bringing John Gibson to Toronto, but such a deal requires the Anaheim Ducks to not only retain salary but also take out the expensive contract for a lacklustre performer.

It feels highly unlikely that the Ducks will seek Mrazek to back-stop their young and hungry group. While he does bring experience, he isn’t exactly a stable option to sit behind younger players.

The usual candidates are of course out there and lacking stable goaltending. The likes of the Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes have money available to spend and both need goalies.

Neither will be out to grant the Maple Leafs a favour though and in all likelihood, Mrazek has included both on his 10-team no trade list as neither looks to be a strong contender right now.

It’s a genuinely challenging task at hand for Kyle Dubas to find a deal that makes sense because simply put; while a trade is the best possible outcome for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it is one that will likely require additional assets to get it done especially if they don’t want to retain salary.

The teams that Mrazek might want to go to aren’t in a spot to pay his salary, especially if they see him as a number two. The teams that can afford him, he may very well veto.

Unorthodox Moves for the Leafs to Consider. dark. Next

It really is a tough spot; what will be telling is how the Leafs get themselves out of it.

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