Mrazek and Red Wings Avoid Arbitration: Report

The Detroit Red Wings have signed restricted free agent goaltender Petr Mrazek to a two-year $8 million contact reported Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Wednesday. Mrazek and the Red Wings were set for an arbitration hearing Wednesday afternoon.

On Monday, Friedman reported that Mrazek sought a two-year deal worth $10 million, while the Red Wings had countered with a two-year, $5.85 million contract.

Jimmy Howard split goaltending duties with Mrazek during the 2015-16 regular season. (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)
Jimmy Howard split goaltending duties with Mrazek during the 2015-16 regular season. (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)

Mrazek, 24, played in a career-high 54 games during the 2015-16 regular season with the Red Wings while splitting time with goaltender Jimmy Howard. Mrazek posted a 27-16-6 record and four shutouts along with a 2.33 goals against average and a .921 save percentage.

Originally drafted by the Red Wings 141st overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Mrazek played in just 11 games during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 regular seasons before taking on an increasing role with the club, appearing in 83 games the past two seasons.

Howard, 32, played in just 37 games during the 2015-16 regular season and went 14-14-5 with two shutouts, a 2.80 GAA and .906 save percentage. Howard is entering the fourth season of a six-year, $31.8 million deal that he signed on April 16, 2013.

Mrazek, a 6’2″, 183-pound product of the Czech Republic, has been named to the country’s roster for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey set to take place later this year in Toronto.