Blackhawks goalkeeper Corey Crawford has been absent from the team’s Phase 3 training camp since it started on July 13 after he was included in the team’s roster of camps before Day 1.
On Friday night, Marc Spector of Sportsnet reported that the Blackhawks turned in their 31-man roster for the NHL 24-team postseason tournament and that Crawford was on it.
The two-time Stanley Cup champion was deemed “unfit to play” by Hawks head coach Jeremy Colliton regarding his absence on Day 1. The netminder did not appear to have participated in voluntary small group practice. The team’s Phase 2 pre-Phase 3 training camp didn’t either, judging by the team’s social media posts and website photos.
During the regular season, Crawford, 35, recorded a record of 16-20-3 with an average of 2.77 goals against and a saving percentage of .917 in 40 games, including 39 starts. Before goalkeeper Robin Lehner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on the trade deadline, the two divided the Chicago network fairly evenly.
Crawford is 48-37 all-time in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Hawks. In his postseason career, he promotes an average of 2.29 goals against and a saving percentage of .919.
Related: How the career of Blackhawks goalkeeper Corey Crawford prepared him for the series against Oilers
If Crawford is actually on the roster and traveling with the team and can somehow get in shape before the start of the Chicago qualifying round series against Edmonton, the two-time NHL All-Star online for No. 12 Western Conference Blackhawks would greatly improve your chances of upsetting the No. 5 greasers on home ice.
The question is: would you have enough time to get fit? According to Colliton, the Hawks have one more summer camp practice in Chicago on Saturday before traveling to Edmonton. They will have another practice when they arrive in the central city on Sunday, followed by a day off on Monday, practice on Tuesday, an exhibition game against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, then two practices before the start of the series against the Oilers. . .
Goalkeepers Malcolm Subban and Collin Delia appear to have gotten the most reps in Blackhawks training camp with Crawford out.
“Give Crow credit, he was always up to the task,” Hawks captain Jonathan Toews told Chicago media Thursday in a Zoom video conference. “When he’s in trouble or when he’s hurt, he comes back and plays great. I laugh, because the amount of preparation a guy like me needs to play his best instead of a guy like Crow, who can just show up there , it’s almost the expectation for him. And at the same time, it’s not really fair.
“But we feel safe at Subby, we feel safe at Deals. Those guys are ready for the opportunity, they have played well when they started NHL before. That’s all we can really do is play our best [defensive] hockey, help our goalkeepers. We know those guys can do the job and whatever happens to Crow, it’s not fair to put that level of pressure on him right now. “
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