Darling vs Mrazek in Carolina

[pmorrow]

Curious where people see this tandem going this year. Do you think Darling gets it together or will Mrazek take over the net??

Could be a situation that goes back and forth all year. I don't think Mrazek is that big an upgrade over Ward, but they had to try something new and didn't have to pay much (1.5m) to make it happen. And he's obviously younger so it could be a good investment.

Safe to say neither of these guys will cost much in drafts this fall.

[Jouko-Pouko]

Curious where people see this tandem going this year. Do you think Darling gets it together or will Mrazek take over the net??

Could be a situation that goes back and forth all year. I don't think Mrazek is that big an upgrade over Ward, but they had to try something new and didn't have to pay much (1.5m) to make it happen.

Safe to say neither of these guys will cost much in drafts this fall.

This. If you have one of them, try to sell him to the guy who owns the other one. Or acquire both if you have to.

[Pengwin7]

I'm going to go with Mrazek.
I think Darling has and always worked well without expectations, that made him shine out of the limelight.

Mrazek is a headcase, but I do think he's got great skill.
Detroit was the type of place where one is expected to "act right".
Thus, Mrazek didn't fit too well there.

Carolina is kind of hodge-podge of different characters - especially now with Dougie there.
It's sort of a team of "cast offs", guys like Teravainen & Jordan Staal who just never got a chance to shine on their "drafted team".
I could see Mrazek flourishing in the same way. Team2.

I do think they'll share start for first 1/3rd of season... but I like Mrazek as sleeper to emerge as late-season #1.
He wants to prove the doubters wrong - and I think he'll do it.

[pmorrow]

Might as well give Dobber Hockey a shoutout here: https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home...n-petr-mrazek/

The breakdown of Mrazek to the 'Canes.

[stevegamer]

Mrazek is a huge upgrade over Ward. Partly because there are no downgrades from Ward that have had a NHL career & are currently active. Ward's been absolutely brutal.

Mrazek can take this job if he can get things going well again. He's very talented but seems to have had some mental issues. He's cheap, he's young, and there's a chance he returns to the form that had him looking like an ascendant star goalie in Detroit. That said, Darling has looked good for a while as well as a backup before getting to Carolina, so he could keep the job.

I agree it's a likely job-split, and somebody will likely take over by season's end.

[Puck Legend]

I believe Mrazek can be sneaky good. He's had some issues in Detroit and Philadelphia.
Now, take him away from the big city and tuck him away nicely nestled in a smaller market with some good defense ahead of him, Dougie, Faulk, Slavin, TVR and co. I think he can really capture the #1 gig in Carolina. Maybe 60/40 to Mrazek, but regardless if I had to peg where he'd be " most" successful between the likes of Detroit, Philadelphia or Carolina.......it's Carolina. I think he's in the right spot for him.

Curious where people see this tandem going this year. Do you think Darling gets it together or will Mrazek take over the net??

Could be a situation that goes back and forth all year. I don't think Mrazek is that big an upgrade over Ward, but they had to try something new and didn't have to pay much (1.5m) to make it happen. And he's obviously younger so it could be a good investment.

Safe to say neither of these guys will cost much in drafts this fall.

[Poutine]

There were a couple of terrific articles on Mrazek last summer in The Athletic that have stuck with me:
https://theathletic.com/68819/2017/0...-happens-next/
https://theathletic.com/69115/2017/0...zek-vs-howard/

One of the take-home messages was that because Mrazek is a smaller athletic goalie, he needs a very organised defensive system in front of him in order to thrive. Detroit was trying to make him play deeper, like Howard, but he basically refused to do so.

I'm mentioning this because it strikes me that Carolina might be a good fit for Mrazek, with Hamilton, Peace, Slavin, TVR, and maybe Faulk in front of him, and with Brind'Amour likely to keep the team well organised.

Also worth noting is that Darling has apparently gotten back into shape, after showing up last summer in poor physical condition.

I agree with other posts that it'll likely be a 1A/1B all season, but I like the move for Carolina (and for my fantasy team, because Mrazek signing in Carolina has given me the handcuff with Darling).

[PenguinHunter]

I really think not having the pressure of big hockey towns like Philly and Detroit will help mrazek focus on his game and play up to his abilities

[pmorrow]

There were a couple of terrific articles on Mrazek last summer in The Athletic that have stuck with me:
https://theathletic.com/68819/2017/0...-happens-next/
https://theathletic.com/69115/2017/0...zek-vs-howard/

One of the take-home messages was that because Mrazek is a smaller athletic goalie, he needs a very organised defensive system in front of him in order to thrive. Detroit was trying to make him play deeper, like Howard, but he basically refused to do so.

I'm mentioning this because it strikes me that Carolina might be a good fit for Mrazek, with Hamilton, Peace, Slavin, TVR, and maybe Faulk in front of him, and with Brind'Amour likely to keep the team well organised.

Also worth noting is that Darling has apparently gotten back into shape, after showing up last summer in poor physical condition.

I agree with other posts that it'll likely be a 1A/1B all season, but I like the move for Carolina (and for my fantasy team, because Mrazek signing in Carolina has given me the handcuff with Darling).

I'm making a note of that. Could be a very late round flier in some leagues that pays off. If the guy wasn't in shape, no wonder he couldn't play with consistency. It's not that he was bad every night, just that when things went bad, they went reeeally bad far too often.

[The Comish]

My money is on Darling to rebound and Mrazek to look good as well...just enough to mess with Darling being a legit #1 fantasy option next season.

[Call of Doughty]

I would hedge my bets on a 50/50 split. Mrazek has never proven he is capable of being a starter.

[Pengwin7]

Mrazek has never proven he is capable of being a starter.

Disagree. That's a short-term memory.

Mrazek has been a very solid goalie for all but the last two seasons.
Even going back to the OHL, his last two seasons at .915 or better for the 67s are very good numbers for OHL.

In the AHL he was .915 or better each season, winning the Calder Cup with the AHL Griffins in 2013.

For the Wings, he was just fine over his 94gp from 2012- 15/16, all seasons over .915 sv%.

Problem is that over the 2016-2017 season, as annointed #1... he stumbled (as some young goalies do, when annointed) - playing behind an absolutely TRASH Red Wings defense.
The Wings defense is horrid, it is bottom five in NHL.

And once it was outed that he was volatile in the locker room, it opened the door for the Wings to just say "Hey, the team is young - we need cool leadership, let's go back to Howard".
And Howard wasn't much better last year (2017-2018), the Wings just decided to go with him as their "cooler" option.

TWO bad seasons for Mrazek. That's all.
Carolina has a much better top four D (Slavik-Pesce, Dougie, Faulk).
Haydn Fleury is going to be OK.

Maybe all five of these guys are better defensively than Mike Green, Danny Dekeyser, and crew.
He had a decent start for PHI, but ultimately I think it was difficult for him knowing that their two starters might be back for playoffs.

Mrazek is a solid goalie... a bit like Steve Mason... some team is going to be the RIGHT fit for him.
I'm a believer.
I think he's that goalie worth taking a risk on, if somebody can get him cheap (like Mason, when PHI got him)

Whether it is the Canes or not, we shall see.

[DusterDave]

I would hedge my bets on a 50/50 split. Mrazek has never proven he is capable of being a starter.

Yup. 50/50 split and they both fail.