The brilliant Petr Mrazek should have your attention

Superb goaltending hasn't necessarily been the Detroit Red Wings' hallmark.

Decades of fixed slotting in the NHL's postseason bracket isn't accomplished without crease contributions rungs above competence, of course. But looking back on all those 100-point seasons, and the Stanley Cups, Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov, Pavel Datsyuk, and the like come to mind before Chris Osgood, Dominik Hasek, and Mike Vernon.

What might serve as the franchise's stamp is adaptation.

So in an era where the loss of an elite netminder can transform a contender to a lottery entry, and in a season in which Detroit is chasing a 25th consecutive playoff appearance, it's no surprise to see a bona fide Vezina Trophy candidate surface in the Red Wings' blue paint.

Twenty-three-year-old Petr Mrazek is that goalie. And with about just an aggregated season as a starter to his credit, he's reached the top of his class.

After making 22 saves Wednesday in a win over the Senators, Mrazek (unsurprisingly a late-round NHL draft pick) now leads the league in even-strength save percentage across the last two seasons.

Spreading his Wings

Mrazek won an open competition with Jimmy Howard in the latter portion of last season after his counterpart, who earned an All-Star selection with squeaky-clean first-half numbers, returned from a groin injury.

In split duties, Mrazek earned the right to make postseason starts under Mike Babcock in part of his own volition, but perhaps more so because Howard's game came unraveled.

There, Mrazek went denial-for-denial with Ben Bishop, supporting Babcock's hunch, and almost led the Red Wings to a first-round upset of the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning. He posted two shutouts in the series, and stopped pucks at a rate greater than he had throughout the regular season, but was ultimately outdueled in a Game 7 that left no margin for error.

He returned to another competition in the fall, once again triumphing over Howard. And despite the franchise's resistance to label him the unequivocal No. 1 (perhaps smartly and strategically), even now, he's not just the best in Detroit, but one of the very best in the game.

Check out his progression in chunks, beginning with his increased role after Howard's injury last season, and cleaving his first year as a full-time starter - in which he leads the league in both major standard goaltender categories - at the holiday break.

Braden Holtby, who has as many wins as Mrazek has starts, is the clear front-runner for top goaltending honors despite trailing the Red Wings' starter in save percentage, goals-against average, and shutouts. And with veterans Corey Crawford, Roberto Luongo, and Cory Schneider also having banner campaigns, Mrazek may be still get overlooked.

But if he continues to make gains, and rides this brilliant trajectory down the stretch, he'll not only secure to an incredible quarter century of consecutive playoff berths in Detroit, but have a chance to perhaps become the first Red Wings goalie in 61 years to capture the Vezina Trophy.