When Petr Mrazek faced free agency last summer, he knew that he was preparing to enter the most pivotal season of his professional hockey career. After a string of disappointing experiences in Detroit and Philadelphia, the then 26-year-old netminder was just looking for a place to reestablish himself as a number one goaltender in the NHL.
He elected to sign in Carolina on a one-year deal at $1.5 million. Signing a one-year ticket to join a hockey team with the longest active playoff drought in the NHL and no clear goaltending gameplan for the year ahead is inviting a lot of pressure.