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Detroit Red Wings G Petr Mrazek Must Step Up in Howard’s Absence

By Suraj Sukumar

Dec 20, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek (34) makes a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek (34) makes a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Petr Mrazek has struggled so far this season, but the Detroit Red Wings need him to step up now more than ever (with Jimmy Howard on the IR) if they hope to extend their quarter-century playoff streak.

Petr Mrazek was a hot topic at the end of last season. He closed out the year as the Detroit Red Wings starting goalie and headed into this year as a player to watch.

The Red Wings are at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1989-1990, but they should do everything possible to keep the streak alive.

The Red Wings have made the playoffs every year since the 1989-90 season, but things could change. This team was supposed to be much better, but the injuries and lack of consistency have pushed them to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

Underwhelming Offense, Young Defense

When you consider the Red Wings lineup, it is surprisingly how poorly they have done overall. With veterans like Henrik Zetterberg and Thomas Vanek leading the charge, Gustav Nyquist, and Tomas Tatar need to follow. They are the future of this team as it stands, and they will be the leaders for players like Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha.

From a depth perspective, Drew Miller, Steve Ott, Frans Nielsen, Riley Sheahan, Luke Glendening, and Andreas Athanasiou are quality NHL players. They make up the bottom half of the Red Wings lineup and should be a solid defensive presence. However, losing Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm has certainly hurt them in that department.

On the blue line, Mike Green and Alexey Marchenko are the key losses. But the group of Dan DeKeyser, Niklas Kronwall, Brendan Smith, and Jonathan Ericsson should be more successful. The Red Wings sit last in the Atlantic Division with 100 goals against, but should be much better.

Howard injured again, Mrazek Must Respond

Jimmy Howard played well when healthy, but has struggled to stay on the ice all season. He already lost the starting job to Mrazek last season, but was making a good case so far this year. On the other hand, Mrazek has struggled, but has garnered de facto starts due to Howard’s health issues.

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So far this season, Mrazek is 9-8-3, with a 3.11 goals against average, and a 0.896 save percentage. Totally unacceptable for a goaltender with a career 2.44 goals against average and 0.916 save percentage in 115 games.

The Red Wings are not a bad team, but are struggling to keep pucks out of the net.

Mrazek is just 24 years old, but needs to his confidence back. He is playing a lot more, with a heavily injured team, but needs to respond positively. Whether it be fatigue, mental strength or just a cold streak, Mrazek needs to fix his mistakes before it is too late.

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If the Red Wings have any chance of making the playoffs this season, it will certainly fall on Mrazek’s shoulders. The defense is relatively unproven and lacks elite level players, and the forwards are producing despite missing key contributors. With that said, the Red Wings would be a much better team with a more reliable goalie, and Mrazek needs to prove he is the long-term option in Detroit.

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