Blackhawks Column: Mrazek Completes a Hat Trick of Smart Deals

It was a foregone conclusion that Petr Mrazek was the next veteran to be re-signed and it turned out correct after he inked a two-year extension on Wednesday with the Chicago Blackhawks.

While there are some wanting to see the Blackhawks be more aggressive, general manager is striking that perfect balance as the Hawks slowly build back to contention. The term is short and sweet while the dollars are reasonable for Mrazek, Jason Dickinson, and Nick Foligno.

It’s exactly what it needs to be.

Blackhawks Building With Familiarity, Patience

I’ve beaten the drum often here at CHN about the intelligence of building slower and smart, and using the cap as an advantage now instead of a hinderance later. The Blackhawks are still about a year out from getting a good read on where many of the first wave of prospects will fit in.

General manager Kyle Davidson himself said that everyone values their own prospects and it’s right. But a guy like Mrazek provides more time for Drew Commesso. Dickinson and Foligno can help mentor and bring along many of the young kids the Hawks will be counting on later.

It’s not going to be the headline stealing moves some Hawks fans will want. That’s okay. It’s making the right deals, signings, and draft selections that will get them prolonged success–which means making the right moves later on, too.

This rebuild reminds me a lot of how the Cubs built with Theo Epstein at the controls. A slow build that gradually brought players along with the right mix of veterans acquired in both free agency and trades. A 2015 NLCS appearance followed by the 2016 World Series proved the Cubs Way to be the right one.

The Blackhawks Way has similar approaches, but for Hawks fans, the hope that the success is more sustained. Don’t forget that with both Dickinson and Mrazek, Chicago took sweeteners for acquiring them.

The deal turns out to even sweeter now, especially if the Blackhawks arrive sooner rather later.