Helene St. James Trading Mrazek "Makes Sense" if Red Wings out of Playoff Picture

[Claypool]

In case you needed another reminder why this reporter is completely out of her mind.

If Mrazek, who turns 25 in February, has a hold on the starting job by then, good for him and good for the Wings. The thinking within the club is that Coreau is ready for the NHL full-time, and he may well end up being the goalie the Wings protect in the expansion draft this summer.

I don't think anyone in the organization has ever thought that Coreau is ready for the NHL full-time. He hasn't been good at all outside of a few starts. Protecting him over Mrazek has to be the dumbest idea I've hear yet with the expansion draft.

If Mrazek gets on a roll – remember last year around this time, he was playing so well that by mid-February he’d generated a .933 save percentage and 1.94 goals-against average that both ranked first among NHL goaltenders who’d have played at least 25 games – then maybe the Wings are in the playoff picture when their bye week arrives. That, conveniently enough, falls Feb. 22-26, meaning the Wings will know a week before the March 1 trade deadline whether they have a realistic chance of making the playoffs, or whether they will be sellers.

If it is the latter, don’t be surprised to see Mrazek in play. It's what makes sense, as Coreau has impressed better than his numbers (3.04 GAA, .901 save percentage) and Howard (1.96 GAA, .934 save percentage) has played the best hockey of his career. Coreau is young (25) and cheap (signed through 2017-18 with a cap hit of just $612,500). Howard turns 33 in March, and would be hard to move with two more seasons at a cap hit of $5.3 million. If Mrazek gets playing, he either helps the Wings into the playoffs, or helps increase his trade value. Either way would be going in the right direction.

Coreau hasn't impressed better than his numbers indicate. He's been pulled two out of his last four starts. She hasn't been watching the games apparently, which is alarming because she travels with the team. I would also love to hear the reasons why teams would want to acquire Mrazek at the deadline if he's playing poorly. What team wants to (or can) add a $4 million dollar doorstop? If he's playing well then clearly they need to hang onto him another year.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2017/01/21/detroit-red-wings-petr-mrazek/96882110/

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[Wood Stick]

Ansar Khan>>Helene St. James

I like Jared Coreau, but no way do I believe he has the upside that Petr Mrazek has. Jared Coreau is actually a year older than Petr Mrazek too. He has 9 NHL games, a .900 save percentage and has played for a stacked Grand Rapids team during his pro career though he's been great down there.

Petr Mrazek has played parts of like four seasons. He's struggled for a year now but even so, last year he put up a .922 save percentage. He's been awesome in the playoffs, and has IMO top five upside. I think Jared Coreau is similar to a Chad Johnson. You don't trade a kid like Petr Mrazek in season. He's a swagger, confidence kind of goalie. When he played to steal jobs he was amazing. Has struggled since his 24th birthday or so. He's still my guy for the future. It's amazing how fast we write people off, then love them, etc. Anthony Mantha for example.

I'd trade Petr Mrazek for a legit number 1 C/D though. If we add one of those, you can possibly run a Ryan Miller/Jared Coreau combo.

 

[Shaman464]

Because a playoff team will need a staring goaltender? The few and far between examples of goalies being traded at the deadline usually fall into the backup mold, not the young, high upside starter mold. And if not a playoff team why trade him at the deadline to another non-playoff team? It would make more sense to move him at the draft if that were the case. Does she think about what she writes? Or does she just go train of thought and posts ****?

 

[Wood Stick]

Because a playoff team will need a staring goaltender? The few and far between examples of goalies being traded at the deadline usually fall into the backup mold, not the young, high upside starter mold. And if not a playoff team why trade him at the deadline to another non-playoff team? It would make more sense to move him at the draft if that were the case. Does she think about what she writes? Or does she just go train of thought and posts ****?

I agree.. I think Petr Mrazek for Sam Bennett is very, very interesting value wise. With Monahan there and Backlund currently in his prime, does Bennett become expendable for a legit number one goaltender under 25?

Speaking of Calgary, anybody know what is up with Tom McCollum there? He's played 1 AHL game and 3 ECHL games this season.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

She's very bad at her job. This would be terrible for us.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

She's very bad at her job. This would be terrible for us.

Bad at being a journalist.

Very good at being a loyal solider for the Wings.

Sounds like something a terrible organization would do, so the math checks out.

 

[Wood Stick]

Bad at being a journalist.

Very good at being a loyal solider for the Wings.

Sounds like something a terrible organization would do, so the math checks out.

George Malik's always a good laugh for me. He is such a homer it's hilarious. I'm not exactly complaining because he's a Wings fan obviously

 

[BigRangy]

I agree.. I think Petr Mrazek for Sam Bennett is very, very interesting value wise. With Monahan there and Backlund currently in his prime, does Bennett become expendable for a legit number one goaltender under 25?

Speaking of Calgary, anybody know what is up with Tom McCollum there? He's played 1 AHL game and 3 ECHL games this season.

noooooooooo thank you

Also McCollum was signed just to fulfill the expansion draft exposure requirements. none of the Flames goalies would fit that (Gillies, Parsons, Rittich, McDonald, Schneider not enough pro years, ineligible, Johnson, Elliott, both UFA's and uncertain to be brought back) so he was signed. It kind of sucks for him that he's not playing hockey anywhere though.

 

[Pavels Dog]

He's so bad this year it will take several years of consistently great play from him to ever make me confident going into a season with him as our #1. Howard/Coreau might be a tandem I could live with for the next few years. But that's only if we get really good value out of Mrazek. Obviously losing Howard for nothing in expansion draft wouldn't be great.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Good now it's confirmed that anyone thinks this is An idiot. Thanks idiot reporter!

Also published after two good games by mrazek. That's pretty funny man. If he can put up a .920 with a garbage dfence that is redeemable

 

[lidstromiscool]

Think its a terrible idea, but it is alarming that she says this as she definitely has a couple Detroit sources/ is a puppet for the Red Wings. Hope she is making this up but I could see someone telling her this which is a scary thought.

 

[Claypool]

Think its a terrible idea, but it is alarming that she says this as she definitely has a couple Detroit sources/ is a puppet for the Red Wings. Hope she is making this up but I could see someone telling her this which is a scary thought.

This line:

The thinking within the club is that Coreau is ready for the NHL full-time

Could literally mean anything.

None of the other beat reporters have hinted or suggested that a Mrazek trade is a possibility or that management is favoring Coreau long-term. Just because Coreau might be NHL-ready doesn't mean they want to move Mrazek, either.

Buying out the remaining two years of Howard's contract makes far more sense. It'll save way more money. It's what I believe will do assuming they can't find a trade partner or he isn't claimed by Vegas.

 

[KJoe88]

I mean, I'm for the idea.

Buuutt, I'm also against it.

If that makes sense.

 

[Henkka]

When I really think more of this, it's an idea.

Goalies are cattle in nowadays hockey. They go up and down like a stock market and many many contracts have proven, that hanging long-term ties to goaltender (with his salary demands) is the biggest anchor under salary cap. Look at Jonathan Quick or Lundqvist etc... Jimmy.

Another thing is, Ken Holland doesn't like guys who go to arbitrator. It's his way or the high-way.

***

Mrazek has great value. And there's a DEMAND for THAT VALUE in many Western Conference teams. Dallas, St. Louis, Winnipeg are having a goalie mess.

But those organizations have defencemen...

Mrazek <> Shattenkirk (re-signed guarantee)
Mrazek <> some Dallas D (Jim Nill/McDonell drafted Mrazek, they know what they would get)
Mrazek <> Trouba

These are the things what will change many minds. Trade Mrazek for youngish +22-old defenceman and draft a Center at 2017 first pick. It would be nice mini-rebuild + selling Vanek/Smith/Jurco for extra picks.

***

I like Coreau. He has been put against toughest possible opponents (Pittsburgh twice, Chicago etc.) to test his real level and his stats would be a lot better if he would have got some easier starts. He is proven, imo.

And if I would be the Las Vegas GM, I would snag him out from Detroit. He has most long-term value vs. any of our crap forward or defenceman left available.

So keep Coreau to get cap help, because Howard still has negative value. Jimmy is never moving anywhere.

Swap that 4M used in Mrazek to another position.

 

[InjuredChoker]

out of playoff picture has nothing to do with making sense when it comes to trading mrazek.


it's all about trade return.

 

[jolly roger]

Think its a terrible idea, but it is alarming that she says this as she definitely has a couple Detroit sources/ is a puppet for the Red Wings. Hope she is making this up but I could see someone telling her this which is a scary thought.

I agree with this completely. Someone (Holland the souce?) told her to float this "out there" or she wouldn't have done it imo. Now that it's out, Holland will definitely get offers and he doesn't get the blame. I'd look for this to happen.

 

[Wingsfan 4 life]

How the heck does Mrazek have great value again? He's overpaid as a backup, and he hasn't proven to be able to handle a starters roll without burning out.

Forgive me if I'm the only one here who thinks Mrazek returning a signed Shatty or Trouba or a 1C/D is the epitome of a pipe dream. In the very best of circumstances, I can see a 2nd.

 

[Frk It]

He's so bad this year it will take several years of consistently great play from him to ever make me confident going into a season with him as our #1. Howard/Coreau might be a tandem I could live with for the next few years. But that's only if we get really good value out of Mrazek. Obviously losing Howard for nothing in expansion draft wouldn't be great.

Wouldn't be bad losing 5 million dollar injury prone goalie that can't handle a starters workload. With some of the other contracts we have.

 

[Marky9er]

[NHL2][/NHL2]

How the heck does Mrazek have great value again? He's overpaid as a backup, and he hasn't proven to be able to handle a starters roll without burning out.

Forgive me if I'm the only one here who thinks Mrazek returning a signed Shatty or Trouba or a 1C/D is the epitome of a pipe dream. In the very best of circumstances, I can see a 2nd.

Theres a whole lot of middle ground between shatty/trouba and a 2nd. I'm pretty sure his value is closer to a 2nd than those guys, but a 2nd could be something like 56 overall where I think his value should be more like 20th or so.

 

[Frk It]

It makes no sense to trade Mrazek with how much his trade value has likely dropped.

There will be better options than Coreau in the Expansion Draft, no one is taking him.

 

[chances14]

what's scary is st james is a pr spokesperson for the wings rather than a journalist. so if she is spewing this nonsense, then there's a good chance this is what the wings Management is thinking

 

[Reddwit]

I agree.. I think Petr Mrazek for Sam Bennett is very, very interesting value wise. With Monahan there and Backlund currently in his prime, does Bennett become expendable for a legit number one goaltender under 25?

Speaking of Calgary, anybody know what is up with Tom McCollum there? He's played 1 AHL game and 3 ECHL games this season.

Its "very, very interesting" value wise because its highway robbery for the Wings.

And who is the "legit" number one goaltender under 25 we're trading? It sure isn't Mrazek, considering he has yet to ever play a season as #1 without being ousted.

And if he were a legit #1, there is no reason we should be trading him with the state this team is in.

 

[TatarTangle]

He'd get a 2nd round pick because he has been that bad this year.

Only thing that would make sense to me is if Holland could trade Mrazek + Tatar / Nyquist for a defenseman.

 

[Shaman464]

Trading Mrazek would literally be the final point on the incompetence of Ken Holland.

 

[Squirrel in the Hole]

No, it doesn't make sense. It's a friggin horrible idea.


Go report on cat shows, Helene... more toward your actual capabilities.