Speculation: Crawford

[echlfreak]

https://www.tsn.ca/blackhawks-crawford-not-100-per-cent-just-yet-1.1149432


Most NHL hockey players are in peak condition right now and have been on the ice several times. Safe to say its a Ward/Forsberg tandem this year.

Hopefully, Ward can be a good mentor for Forsberg and Forsberg can figure things out. 25 years old is still very young for goalies. If he can't figure it out Delia and Lankinen should get a shot.

Click to read more...

 

[Enyaw]

Top 8 draft pick if no Crow

 

[featherhawk]

Wonder what the health issue is. It does not sound like a concussion issue.

Hope the guy can live a healthy life.

This news surely does not bode well for his career at 33 years of age

 

[BobbyJet]

I'll say this much: To be polite, Stan has not done a great job of keeping a competent backup goalie in the ranks. If CC doesn't come through it will, once again reflect that rather blatant oversee by the GM....... I may add: same as it did last season but no one ever mentions that. A quality back-up goalie is paramount these days.

 

[u2wojo]

Darling, Raanta, Hutton, Nilsson have all flowed through the Hawks organization in the last decade as "competent backup" goalies. I'm not convinced Forsberg isn't one either...he just wasn't ready to be an NHL starter at age 25 in his first real crack at an NHL net when Crow got "hurt".

 

[BobbyJet]

Darling, Raanta, Hutton, Nilsson have all flowed through the Hawks organization in the last decade as "competent backup" goalies. I'm not convinced Forsberg isn't one either...he just wasn't ready to be an NHL starter at age 25 in his first real crack at an NHL net when Crow got "hurt".

Indirectly, another casualty of the overpayments from Stan. He simply can't afford to pay the money a good backup goalie is worth.
This past season we all witnessed the impact that vulnerability can have.

 

[ClydeLee]

I'll say this much: To be polite, Stan has not done a great job of keeping a competent backup goalie in the ranks. If CC doesn't come through it will, once again reflect that rather blatant oversee by the GM....... I may add: same as it did last season but no one ever mentions that. A quality back-up goalie is paramount these days.

He did for 6 straight years before this past season... he took in a at the point of ready for the shot Forsberg but he couldn't handle it with the bad team.

How is having a great backup leave earning starters pay and making 4.5 mil deals a cap mismanagement? Especially when you have a validly paid high end starter, that would make no sense to do.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Shhh, his narrative.

But I don't know, I can only hope that Crow's okay in the longrun.

 

[jaysoneil]

If Crow returns at some point this year, I'd be surprised if he is able to return to form.

It would be a great boost to the team's morale, but having not been in net for so long, I can only imagine the amount of rust he'll need to shake off.

Hopefully his long-term health isn't in jeopardy.

 

[featherhawk]

Indirectly, another casualty of the overpayments from Stan. He simply can't afford to pay the money a good backup goalie is worth.
This past season we all witnessed the impact that vulnerability can have.

and then he goes out this year and pays ward $3 mil when he is worth no more than 1.5....clusterf***

 

[migi]

He did for 6 straight years before this past season... he took in a at the point of ready for the shot Forsberg but he couldn't handle it with the bad team.

How is having a great backup leave earning starters pay and making 4.5 mil deals a cap mismanagement? Especially when you have a validly paid high end starter, that would make no sense to do.

Bobby whines about backups and now he would pay to goalies over 10 million together (Crow and Raanta). And when that happens, he whines that we dont have enough depth to anywhere else. And then comes the Seabrook deal, Toews deal, Saad vs Panarin trade into discussion.

You know the drill. Stan’s fault, no other GM’s in the League etc etc.

 

[migi]

I have still faith that Blackhawks management and Crow himself are going with the neutral or even pessimist approach with Crow’s return. The fact that Q said he is 100% confident that he return to camp may be his own believing or he may know his projection in training.

They dont want to rush him, they dont want to create illusion that he is 100% ready because if he isnt, it’s looks even worse. They EXPECT him to be ready if everything goes right.

I dont want to talk about the rumors what he has or is it off-ice or on-ice thing. I just hope he can live normal life and dream at the same time that he comes back as good as he was.

 

[BobbyJet]

Bobby whines about backups and now he would pay to goalies over 10 million together (Crow and Raanta). And when that happens, he whines that we dont have enough depth to anywhere else. And then comes the Seabrook deal, Toews deal, Saad vs Panarin trade into discussion.

You know the drill. Stan’s fault, no other GM’s in the League etc etc.

Thank-you for pointing out just a few of Stan's shortcomings over the years.

Have you ever stopped and think that maybe Stan isn't doing such a great job after all? No, didn't think so. Some folks are easily satisfied.

And btw, Hawks are already dishing out $9 M for CC and Ward. Ward's contract is the latest overpayment on a list that grows each year.

If Hawks end up with Ward/Forsberg in this coming season I can see a repeat of 2017-18. If that's fine by you, I repeat, some folks are easily satisfied.

 

[BK]

I'll say this much: To be polite, Stan has not done a great job of keeping a competent backup goalie in the ranks. If CC doesn't come through it will, once again reflect that rather blatant oversee by the GM....... I may add: same as it did last season but no one ever mentions that. A quality back-up goalie is paramount these days.

The bold is just blantantly wrong. This is the first season where the Hawks have had issues with their backup before the run started. Stan has his warts but this is not one of them.

 

[BobbyJet]

I'm talking recently, not living in the past. As early as the 2016 playoffs, Stan knew that it was unlikely Darling could be resigned by Chicago when his contract became due. He had plenty of time to seek out a back-up but instead he sat on his hands and gambled that Crawford could be the work horse and that Forsberg or another unproven goaltender would emerge within the organization. Now, entering 2018-19 season, and Crawford questionable at best, the state of Hawks' goaltending does not look promising. Of course, there's the chance that Ward can handle the #1 job and Forsberg or perhaps Delia will surprise and be better than what we have seen in the past, but again, that's a gamble.

 

[migi]

Thank-you for pointing out just a few of Stan's shortcomings over the years.

Have you ever stopped and think that maybe Stan isn't doing such a great job after all? No, didn't think so. Some folks are easily satisfied.

And btw, Hawks are already dishing out $9 M for CC and Ward. Ward's contract is the latest overpayment on a list that grows each year.

If Hawks end up with Ward/Forsberg in this coming season I can see a repeat of 2017-18. If that's fine by you, I repeat, some folks are easily satisfied.

Well at that time the cap ceiling was lower so $9 mil that time would have been even more. And not even talking that $10.5mil.

 

[migi]

And I think I have never said I’m satisfied with Bowman. He has his flaws but most of those mistakes from him are somewhat manageable/mistakes had to be made basically.

I’m just not negative person because it’s very tiredsom. I hope for the best, every single time.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

I think the goalie situation is more of a knock on the Hawks scouting and development than Stan who has actually done really good finding goalies in UFA market. When you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of this team now its apparent why the strengths are the strengths and the weaknesses are the weaknesses. They’ve been awesome drafting and developing forwards, terrible with defense and goalie. At some point you start to miss on UFA signings and trades and can no longer mask the lack of ability to develop internally. Hawks are at that point with goalie. They’ve started to address D and it looks like they’re on the right track to fix that situation.

 

[Game suspension]

Top 8 draft pick if no Crow

I would agree. I would also say the same is true even if there is Crow. I just don't see him being the same goalie again. Confidence is a fragile thing. Think about the pressure that poor bastard in under. The entire org sits on his shoulders. That is never a good thing.

Either way its going to be an ugly season and the STH's are going to feel the pain again. When does Kane ask for a trade is the next big question.

 

[ChiHawks10]

I'll say this much: To be polite, Stan has not done a great job of keeping a competent backup goalie in the ranks. If CC doesn't come through it will, once again reflect that rather blatant oversee by the GM....... I may add: same as it did last season but no one ever mentions that. A quality back-up goalie is paramount these days.

Ranta. Darling. Emery. Just to name a few. There's always a competent backup goalie here. Last year was the first year in a long long time. Not dwelling in the past? You talked about the past by saying stan hasn't done a good job keeping a competent backup goalie in the ranks... when it has literally been one single season since 2008 that there wasn't one.

Keep that ridiculous Stan is garbage narrative going though, Bobby.

 

[BobbyJet]

Ranta. Darling. Emery. Just to name a few. There's always a competent backup goalie here. Last year was the first year in a long long time. Not dwelling in the past? You talked about the past by saying stan hasn't done a good job keeping a competent backup goalie in the ranks... when it has literally been one single season since 2008 that there wasn't one.

Keep that ridiculous Stan is garbage narrative going though, Bobby.

Narrative my arse. Wake up and smell the coffee.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

All this time and he is still not recovered. If this is in fact a head injury or head related it is a very ominous sign. You have to think about the rest of your life, it doesn’t sound like something you mess with.

I get the toughness of hockey players but at this stage, with this team, it would be crazy for Crow to take any risks with his long term future.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Narrative my arse. Wake up and smell the coffee.

You actually just made some shit up to try and criticize Bowman, but its not a narrative you're pushing? Seems likely...

 

[ChiHawks10]

All this time and he is still not recovered. If this is in fact a head injury or head related it is a very ominous sign. You have to think about the rest of your life, it doesn’t sound like something you mess with.

I get the toughness of hockey players but at this stage, with this team, it would be crazy for Crow to take any risks with his long term future.

It's not a head injury. And I can say that with 100% confidence.

 

[piteus]

Stan is not going anywhere. I will judge how his young draftees and 2019 UFAs do next year. Ward, Manning, Kunitz, Kruger, etc. ... we aren't going to do much this year even with Crow . Perhaps we can sneak into the playoffs with a healthy Crow, but that's not the goal. I have my eyes in 2019 and then will make an assessment on Stan.

In regards to Q, I believe we give way too much credit and blame to coaches.