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Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Hypothetical Petr Mrazek Trades

By Stephen Nixon |
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 27: Petr Mrazek #35 of the Toronto Maple Leafs covers the corner against the Florida Panthers during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 27, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Panthers 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 27: Petr Mrazek #35 of the Toronto Maple Leafs covers the corner against the Florida Panthers during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 27, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Panthers 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
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The Petr Mrazek experiment failed and the Toronto Maple Leafs should use this opportunity to trade his contract.

If the regular season started tomorrow, Petr Mrazek would technically be the starting goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, if this team seriously thinks they’re a Stanley Cup contender, that can’t happen.

Injuries were a huge factor as to why Mrazek’s first year in Toronto went south, but you can’t use that as an excuse. If this was Mrazek’s first injury-prone season in 10 years, we could run it back, but this is unfortunately his mantra as an NHL goaltender.

It’s been six seasons since Mrazek’s started 50 or more games, so relying on him as a starting goaltender seems like a terrible decision.

Even getting 30 games out of him right now is a stretch and at $3.8M, you can’t hope that he’s healthy. Instead, the team needs to trade him and recoup some assets for him.

Although he’s injury-prone and hasn’t shown he can be a legitimate starter in a few years, he does have 295 career starts under his belt and another team is going to take a chance on him. Management is going to say “when healthy” this player is a starter and can help us win games, and he’ll be traded easily.

As a result, there are a few suitors out there that could fit for Mrazek and some intriguing hypothetical trades that could also help Toronto.

Here are three hypothetical trades involving the Toronto Maple Leafs and Petr Mrazek.

TORONTO, ON – MARCH 27: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on from the bench during play against the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 27, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Oilers 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – MARCH 27: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on from the bench during play against the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 27, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Oilers 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Edmonton Oilers

Hypothetical Trade:

  • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: 2023 2nd Round Draft Pick
  • Edmonton Oilers acquire: Petr Mrazek

Mike Smith is 10000 years old and the Edmonton Oilers don’t have an other option in net for the 2022-23, so they may be inclined to trade for a starter, if they can’t sign one in free agency.

One of the main reasons why the Edmonton Oilers would be interested in trading for Petr Mrazek is because the GM of the Oilers was the same manager who drafted Mrazek 12 years ago.

Holland, formerly of the Detroit Red Wings, drafted Mrazek in the 5th round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, so he’s incredibly familiar with his services.

During Mrazek’s time in Detroit, he was actually a very reliable and serviceable goaltender, so Holland may see past his injury struggles and want to trade for him.

Since the Oilers are in a win-now mode, they probably won’t want to give up anyone off their roster, but instead, would have to trade draft picks or prospects.

That’s perfectly fine for Toronto as cap-space is just as valuable as an NHL player at this moment, as they would look to use Mrazek’s $3.8M and find a legitimate goalie for themselves.

Marc-Andre Fleury? Jordan Binnington? We shall see…

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 15: Matt Dumba #24 of the Minnesota Wild skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 15, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Wild 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 15: Matt Dumba #24 of the Minnesota Wild skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 15, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Wild 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Minnesota Wild

Hypothetical Trade:

  • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Matt Dumba
  • Minnesota Wild acquire: Petr Mrazek, 2023 4th Round Draft Pick and Mac Hallowell

If you thought the Toronto Maple Leafs have cap-issues (they actually don’t by the way), look at the Minnesota Wild, instead.

Starting next year, they have between $12-14M in dead-cap money for the next three seasons (!!!). The salary cap could go up to $100M and they would still have issues.

As a result, the Leafs should look at this team and capitalize on their mistake.

One player who Toronto should be incredibly interested in is Matt Dumba’s, who’s a pending UFA after the 2022-23 season. At $6M per season, Dumba would fill a huge hole on Toronto’s right defensive side.

Although the Wild have a terrible salary-cap issue, they still want to be somewhat competitive, so they could re-up their goaltending situation for the next two years, but then clear $2.2M by trading Dumba.

There’s a zero percent chance the Wild will be able to re-sign Dumba after next year, so they may as well get a few assets out of it. Also, if you think Toronto’s in trouble by taking on an additional $2.2M right now, think again.

That can be cleared in a heartbeat by trading away Alex Kerfoot, or even Justin Holl, as Dumba would be a significant upgrade over him.

TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 11: Dylan Strome #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks gets set to take a faceoff against Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 11, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Blackhawks 5-4. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 11: Dylan Strome #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks gets set to take a faceoff against Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 11, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Blackhawks 5-4. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Chicago Blackhawks

Hypothetical Trade:

  • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Dylan Strome (rights)
  • Chicago Blackhawks acquire: Petr Mrazek

The Chicago Blackhawks need a goaltender and the Toronto Maple Leafs could use some bottom-six help, so let’s make a deal!

Strome is an RFA right now, but it feels like the Blackhawks aren’t sure if they want to re-sign him.

As a result, the Blackhawks could use his contract as leverage and turn that into a starting goaltender, as they currently don’t have one for next season.

Strome is coming off a 22-goal season and although he hasn’t lived up the hype of being a 3rd overall draft pick, he’s still a legit NHLer and a solid third-line centre or winger.

Strome would be another local kid and the ability to play in front of friends and family every night may help spark him to have his best season yet in the NHL.

This trade would solve Chicago’s goaltending issues and it would also help bring in bottom-six talent to potentially replace Ilya Mikheyev, Ondrej Kase and Jason Spezza.

Next. 3 Value UFA Forwards Leafs Should Sign. dark

Strome missed out by one spot at getting drafted to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015, so it’s time to re-do history and bring him to the team that wanted to play for.

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