Chicago Blackhawks: In Season Review – Corey Crawford

Corey Crawford won the battle of the goalies in Chicago, and because of that we now have the chance to review his season with the Blackhawks.

Corey Crawford spent the majority of the season splitting the net with goalie Robin Lehner. Having two great goalies that could help steal a win for the Blackhawks night in and night out really made the Blackhawks better throughout the season. No matter who was in net, the Blackhawks could win games.

However, having two top goalies does come with some downsides. Deciding who should get the net when both goalies are hot can be an issue, and deciding who your starter come playoff time is something that is going to make or break a goalie. Crawford has spent his entire career with the Blackhawks winning them two Stanley Cups along the way, and because of that, he deserves an opportunity to finish his career with the team.

Crawford and Lehner both played great this season, Crow had one shut out and a 2.77 goals-against average in the 40 games he played in this season. That number is down from the 2.93 he averaged the season before. Along the way, Crow made some unbelievable saves to keep the Blackhawks in the game. In fact, his only shut out this season helped snap a three-game losing streak for the Blackhawks.

I think Crawford is one of the best goalies in the NHL. He makes saves look easy thanks to his great positioning on the puck, and in my opinion, there is no reason he can not remain the Blackhawks starter for the next two or three seasons. Corey Crawford has always been a rather reliable goalie, and his career statistics show that over the course of his 13 year NHL career.

For Crawford’s great play this season I think he deserves a B rating. Crow had a .917 save percentage, and he did that with not a lot of great defense in front of him. Hopefully, now he will be allowed to help guide the next Blackhawks goalie over the next few years.

I know that Blackhawks fans are still not really happy with how the Blackhawks traded away Robin Lehner at the deadline in February. However, I think one thing we can agree on is that Crawford did have a great season!