Corey Crawford Coming Back Soon?
According to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford is close to returning to game action.
Crawford, 34, has not dressed for a game since leaving the Blackhawks’ game against San Jose on Dec. 16 at the United Center. He has a 6-14-2 record with a .902 save percentage and 3.28 goals against average.
His record is not completely indicative of his play this season; he took losses in many of the ugly early games this season. The Blackhawks won only three of Crawford’s final 19 appearances but scored more than three goals only twice in that stretch (one of which was a 6-5 loss at Winnipeg.
I have to agree Tab. But he still did not look like the old Craw to me. Hopefully he will be plus the fact that we are fighting for a playoff spot will rejuvenate him like Keith and Seabs have been.
Not sure where all the trade Forsling talk is coming from. I get it he could be oddman out next year. I also understand he hasn’t impressed. I’ve been saying it for a few years now; outside risking hurting development, the rookie defenseman should get lots of minutes on the ice with Keith and Seabrook taking a backseat; if only to evaluate the new defenseman if nothing else. Ville Pokka and Svedberg as example clearly haven’t made the NHL but when the Blackhawks were busy finishing second place in the league (only to get swept in the first round) they should have at least played those defenseman with big minutes for a few games win lose or draw. In the end both left the team for basically nothing. Heck they could have sheltered the on D in the big league to at least them look tradeable, but that’s easier said than done.
All the talk about the improved powerplay yet not many bring up the rumors of Assistant coach (barry smith?) getting kicked out by Coach Q as Barry Smith wanted to improve the powerplay. Anyway whatever maybe he doesn’t have anything to do with the powerplay. Whatever.
If Forsling has to clear waivers first a team with a full roster would probably not want to pick him up. Why trade for a player that will need to clear waivers(not have a roster spot) want him with a decent risk of losing him in waivers? Do you picture a team going for a cup moving a pick or prospect for Forsling given those circumstances ? How bad is their 5-6defsenman if their going for a cup and are like ahhhh that Forsling, he’s the ticket. Seriously I’m no scout but does a team see something in Forsling that will help them push for the cup? No, that never happ……Kempny? what Kempny, huh. Anyway the point is there quite a bit of pieces to think about in a trade and no question value of a player goes way up if a player can be sent to the minors. Blackhawks exampled this earlier this season. I would think a team outside the playoff picture would be more interested in Forsling. No doubt all the pieces are in play. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the so-called four horsemen is moved at some point for help “now” rather than 5 years from now. No questoin there is a log jam on defense. From what I’ve seen so far Kukko is either a keeper or a pretty good asset to trade. From what I’ve seen so far I say “keep”, but the sample size of what I’ve seen is small.
I just really wish the Oilers GM wasn’t fired; he was making some sick deals for other teams (not just the Blackhawks). I like Hayden, but if Hayden was going to the Oilers I bet the Blackhawks were getting somethign real nice in return.
I hope Crawford comes back and plays well – he is after all one of the best goalies in the league when he plays but that’s the thing – “when he plays”. Can we really rely on him to be the #1 goalie next season? I think the answer has to be “no” but what can Stan and the team do other than make plans accordingly which probably means signing Ward again or another veteran backup and push Delia down to Rockford.
I’m kinda pissed that I’m not being made fun of like other regular posters.
I wonder if Stan asks for Crawford’s 10-team list. For a team looking for goaltending, he’d be a nice “short term” pickup and the reality is, he can only be counted on “short term”.
At this time next week, we will be going over one or more trades. I think Stan is smart enough to be a seller. Hoping that he can package AA with Forsling or another expendable player and get something reasonable back. I don’t know who would take a chance on Crow, but if the Hawks can get back some value, they should do it.
Hawks need a younger franchise goalie to step in within two years. In the mean time, they will need to sign an high-grade FA goalie for a couple of years.
Hope they hang on to KK and give him an ample tryout. Shows mobility, a good passer, decent defender, and is physical. Adds some badly needed grit with the young skilled smurfs coming up, such as Joki, Mitchell, Boq, and Beaudin.
Travis, the first 100 times it wasnt funny and people got pissed a little. Now that we ve read it about 1000 times, its quite funny. Can have a memory that good, so cut and paste everybody famous lines over the yrs to create that enough detail about each person. F ing funny now.
Its like that clip at the end of meet the fockers and they show the things that Gaylord Focker says about Jack Burns.
I would imagine Crow plays/goes on his own terms. He is a high grade goalie for two yrs. Can resign for 1yr at a time, decent caphit. Delia or someone will be future. Be interesting in two or so yrs from now what goalies we have. Havnt we had better success with drafting/trading for goalies since 2008 and not through ufa.
Prospects: Chl
Ryczek 2g 1a 1st bak from injury
Hagel 3a
Entwistle 1g shorthanded
Beaudin 1a
Gravel 16 saves on 18 shots win
Ncaa
Shea 1g
Ess 1a
Coughlin 1a
Europe
Shalunov 1a
Kubalik 1a
Kayumov injury? Altybarmakyan scratch
Not in lineups
Would think even if Crawford trade was considered, what the Blackaeks would want vs what a team would give right now coukd be too far apart.
Would sure make it interesting if Crawford was shopped. Add to that if Stan could erase the $6 million cap hit for next year. It’s very unlikely but this time of year there is so much speculation.
On Anisimov: $4.5 is too much for a 4th line Center, but can Stan move him without hurting this playoff run they are on.
There is no way Stan will be a seller. He’s not demoralizing a team this close to a playoff spot and is rejuvenated. That being said he won’t be a buyer either. What he’ll be looking for is what he’s done before moving a dead piece for a younger player that can fit and play now, ie Caluggia, KooKoo. AA at this point is ok as a 3 or 4 line center. They’re not going to throw him away unless they’ve got someone to replace him. They don’t! We also have our goalie of the future in Delia. They just signed him for 3 years. Craw is our big question mark. That is a juggling act to find out if he still has it and can ill afford to lose one game by finding out.
I can see Stan trading AA but also picking up a C at the TDL to replace him – someone who’s on an expiring contract for the playoff push
That way the drive for the post season shouldn’t be greatly impacted and maybe even enhanced depending on who they get plus the Hawks get AA’s cap hit off the books for the summer and aren’t committed to the new guy past this season
Greyhawk, you may be right about hanging on to AA because otherwise there would be a hole at C while the Hawks are chasing a playoff spot. This would be demoralizing to the team. Delia may not our starting goalie of the future, but certainly a reliable backup. A young stud needs to be recruited or traded for. In the mean time, as I posted earlier, am expecting them to sign a quality veteran during free agency or working out a trade. This is regardless of whether Crawford is ready to play or not.
You have to have two good goalies in the system behind Crow. His situation is too fragile. Do the Hawks have to sign Ward again? If so, you’ve got Crow (if healthy) and Ward with Delia in Rockford (not sure about the waivers situation with Delia). But Delia needs to be in Chicago given the potential he has shown. Of course, given that Delia is on a 3 year deal, you don’t necessarily have to have him in Chicago next year. But delaying his development is not healthy. This is a mess.
Original, be interested to see how Nalimov is handled. Recinded his trade request when Bowman agreed to give him a shot next season, if he went back to Khl to get more Nhl ready.. Since joining his current Khl team he has put up good numbers. In 13 games he has .212 gaa and .918 sv%, plus a couple of shutouts. Afent says he doesn’t want to play in Ahl.
We cant have guys dictating that they wont play in the AHL if the team thinks that is needed for his development.
Espo Nalimov is 24 now so he would only be a 1 year elc guy, then rfa. Probably signs with European clause and burns his elc in Europe and can come back as a ufa if they don’t qualify him, or signs a contract with Blackhawks and won’t be waivers exempt then or something like that he wants.
Let’s get something straight, the Hawks will not make the playoffs. Second, Crawford was a great goalie, 3rd, he is now damaged goods, he did well for what 4 games, the was horrible before his latest concussion. Let him play out his contract, and that’s it. Time to move on.
Disagree. They’re only 3 points out of a wild card with 20 some games to go. U don’t pull the rug out from guys like Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabs. You risk losing them. These are proud athletes. As far as Crow goes u need to treat him with the respect he deserves. Another way to lose the boys. I do agree that I think Craw was not the same to start this year. However they’re defense was shit. We need to find out if he has anything left number one. He also has one more year on his contract.