| 28 June 2010
The latest in the "I'm from the Czech Republic, and I'd like to buy an 'E', Alex" category of players...
Round 5 141st overall selection:
PETR MRAZEK
6'0 162 LBS GOALTENDER
OTTAWA 67'S OHL
This 18 year old netminder hails from Vitkovice, Czech Republi and catches like a normal goalie (with his left hand). In 30 regular season appearances he went 12-9-1 with a 3.00 GAA, .905 S%, and 3 Shutouts. This earned him the F.W. ‘Dinty” Moore Trophy for lowest GAA for a rookie goalie. Though, he didn't earn the starting spot in net until the post-season when he wrenched the #1 spot from Chris Perugini. In 8 playoff games he went 4-4 2.39 GAA and a .928 S%.
"He took it away from Peregini and that team went as far as he could take them," McDonnell said. "It wasn't a great team by any means, but the success they did have certainly had a lot to do with how he played."--Joe McDonnell told RedWingsCentral.com
Jim Nill also cited how he finished as a big reason for the pick. He was listed as the 25th best goalie available in the draft.
So with Daniel Larsson hopping the boat back to Sweden, we went out and got ourselves another skinny goalie without much size. But what Mrazek lacks in stature, apparently he makes up in competitiveness and technique.
"He's not huge in the net but by the way he competes, he plays bigger than what he is. He's got real good athleticism, he moves well post-to-post and he never gives up on any shots. If you're not that big and you move quick and can read the play well as he does, it makes up for size." --Joe McDonnell
He'll have the starting job when he returns to Ottawa next season. And Jim Bedard will eventually have another pet project to work on. Let's just hope he materializes into a starter before he's 26, or he'll have no shot the NHL Rookie of the Year Award.
