Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith were traded to the Detroit Red Wings by the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday for Joe Veleno.
Mrazek is in the first year of a two-year contract he signed with the Blackhawks on Jan. 24, 2024, and can become an unrestricted free agent after next season. The 33-year-old goalie is 10-19-2 with a 3.46 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage in 33 games this season. He started 56 games for Chicago last season and 39 in 2022-23.
The trade comes six days after the Blackhawks acquired goalie Spencer Knight in a trade with the Florida Panthers on March 1.
“You don’t want to jump into something quickly for something that might not make sense, so we’ll see what happens now or in the summer,” Mrazek said after practice Thursday. “It’s a business. This is what it is, that’s what happens in hockey, and I move on. I’m still going to be here, coming in with a great attitude. What happens in the summer or next few days, we’ll see.”
Selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the fifth round (No. 141) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Mrazek is 178-174-40 with a 2.85 GAA and .906 save percentage in 423 regular-season games (392 starts) for the Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers and Red Wings and 12-15 with a 2.43 GAA, .911 save percentage and five shutouts in 29 Stanley Cup Playoff games (28 starts).
Smith, a forward, has 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 40 games this season. A fourth-round pick (No. 98) by the Nashville Predators at the 2009 NHL Draft, the 35-year-old has 450 points (220 goals, 230 assists) in 968 regular-season games with the Predators, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Dallas Stars and Blackhawks and 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 83 playoff games.
Veleno has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 56 games this season. The 25-year-old center was a first-round pick (No. 30) by Detroit at the 2018 NHL Draft and has 74 points (35 goals, 39 assists) in 288 games.
The Red Wings (30-26-6) trail the Ottawa Senators by one point for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
The Blackhawks (19-35-8) are 31st in the NHL standings.
NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers contributed to this report