Red Wings trade Mrazek to Flyers for conditional draft picks
The Detroit Red Wings have traded goaltender Petr Mrazek to the Philadelphia Flyers for an initial conditional fourth-round pick in 2018, the team announced.
The terms of the trade could be greatly improved for Detroit, however. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, if the Flyers make the playoffs and Mrazek wins five regular-season games, the 2018 fourth-round pick becomes a third-round selection. If the Flyers can advance to the conference finals and Mrazek wins six playoff games, that pick would upgrade again to a second-rounder. Separately, if the Flyers re-sign Mrazek next season, Detroit will also get Philadelphia's third-round pick in 2019.
Red Wings retaining half the salary in the Mrazek trade with Philly.
— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) February 20, 2018
The deal comes with the Flyers desperate to do something following injuries to goaltenders Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth. Last week it was announced Elliott would miss five to six weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery. Meanwhile, Neuvirth left Sunday night's game against the New York Rangers with a lower-body injury and his status has yet to be updated.
Mrazek, a pending restricted free agent, has been steady for the struggling Red Wings, having gone 8-7-3 in 22 games while posting a .910 save percentage, a 2.89 goals-against average, and three shutouts.
The move proves the Flyers don't plan on throwing away what has been a strong season just because of injuries to their goalies. The club is in the thick of it in the Metropolitan Division, holding down third spot, just four points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins with two games in hand.