Blackhawks: Corey Crawford’s Contract Is An Issue Not Expected

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford was offered $3.5M to stay with the team for 2020-21. He is reportedly unhappy with the deal, putting Chicago in a bad spot.

Corey Crawford is putting the Chicago Blackhawks in a terrible spot – if the reports of him being unhappy with taking a hometown discount are true. Chicago doesn’t have the money to overpay for Crawford to stay, as they’re already in a bad Salary Cap situation.

The team currently has just over $6,000,000 to spend with a few key players needing contracts. The top two that come to mind are Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome. Kubalik is worth around $4,000,000 – with Strome being worth around $3,000,000.

Crawford is an aging veteran, who doesn’t have a lot left in the tank, let’s call it how it is. He plays well 50% of the time, which isn’t good enough. I think $3,500,000 AAV was a generous offer, but not shocking, as Stan Bowman has a habit of overpaying guys.

I’m not discounting everything Crawford has done for the team. He’s won two Stanley Cups, but he doesn’t have a third one left in him. It’s time to move on if he won’t accept this already generous offer.

The goal-tending position is maybe the most important on the ice, they shouldn’t overpay for a guy who might not be able to do it at a high-level.

Go after a free agent goalie for the same money they would have paid Crawford. There are a few guys that are worth $3,500,000 AAV that will perform better than Crawford. I have a tough time letting players I grew up watching go, but Crawford and the Hawks need to part ways.

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Thank you for everything you’ve done, but more than $3,500,000 AAV is something the Hawks just cannot do.