Corey Crawford - Signs new 6-year Hawks Deal

 

It has been such a great summer for Corey Crawford that he could hardly be blamed if he didn't want it to end. Crawford began the day he earned celebrating with the Stanley Cup in his hometown by agreeing to a six-year contract extension Monday with the Chicago Blackhawks. The deal, which begins when his current pact expires after the 2013-14 season, is reportedly worth $36 million. Crawford began the 2012-13 with people outside the organization questioning his viability as a No. 1 goalie for a contending team and finished it with a superlative performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs en route to winning a championship. The 28-year-old Crawford went 19-5-5 for the Blackhawks during the regular season with a .926 save percentage and a 1.94 goals against average, and then got even better during the playoffs. He posted a .932 save percentage and a 1.84 GAA as Chicago claimed the Stanley Cup for the second time in four seasons. When the Blackhawks won their first championship in 49 years in 2010, starting goaltender Antti Niemi was one of several casualties of the club being close to the salary cap ceiling, and it allowed Crawford the chance to become the No. 1 guy. He had a strong rookie season, particularly near the end as the defending champs squeezed into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. After a .917 save percentage and 2.30 GAA as a rookie, he slipped in his sophomore campaign. Crawford still had a 30-17-7 record, but also a .903 save percentage and 2.72 GAA, and the Blackhawks bowed out in the first round of the playoffs for a second straight season. He responded with a very good regular season, and a fantastic postseason in 2012-13, and is now the undisputed No. 1 goalie in the Windy City. He's also a candidate to make the Canadian team for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Crawford spent a few days last week in Calgary with the other Olympic hopefuls at Canada's orientation camp.

"I want to be in Chicago for my whole career and this is amazing to be able to do this and get this deal done." -- Corey Crawford

For Bowman and the Blackhawks, they can add Crawford to the growing list of core players on the roster with long-term contracts. There are six players, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Bryan Bickel, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Crawford, under contract for at least the next three seasons. Niklas Hjalmarsson is the only key figure from the 2013 title team that will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will need new contracts the following summer. For Crawford, he had the opportunity to spend Labor Day, the unofficial last day of Summer, with the Cup and celebrating his new contract. He also recently got engaged, and spent the aforementioned time at Canada's Olympic camp.