From Cradle to Cup will be a series running throughout July 2013
looking back at players on the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks roster for their
Stanley Cup-winning campaign. Part 25 looks at goaltender Corey Crawford.
Corey Crawford was born on December 31st, 1984, in Chateauguay, Quebec. He began his hockey career playing in Quebec's AAA Midget League with the Gatineau Intrepides at the age of sixteen in the 2000-2001 season. He had a line of twenty-one games played, as well as a 17-3-1 record, and a 1.92 goals-against average, including two shutouts. The next season, 2001-2002, Crawford played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the Moncton Wildcats, where he posted 9-20-3 record in thirty-eight appearances while playing to a mediocre 3.74 GAA. Crawford took on a larger portion of the goaltending duties in 2002-2003, playing in fifty games to a record of 24-17-6, while adding two shutouts and a 2.73 GAA, before going 2-3 in six playoff games. Crawford was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, being selected by the Chicago Blackhawks. He remained with Moncton for 2003-2004, appearing in fifty-four games while improving his numbers to a 35-15-3 record, 2.62 GAA, and two shutouts. In the playoffs, Crawford was even better in going 13-6 in twenty postseason games, ending those games with a 2.15 GAA. He was named to the QMJHL Second Team All-Stars, and was also named Defensive Player of the Year. The 2004-2005 season was his last with the Wildcats, and he supplied a 2.47 GAA with a 28-16-6 record in fifty-one games, as well as six shutouts en route to being named to the Second Team All-Stars again. In the postseason, he had a 6-6 record and a 2.73 GAA over twelve games. Crawford made the jump to the Blackhawks' American Hockey League affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, in 2005-2006, where he played in forty-eight games with a 22-23 record and 2.94 GAA, recording just one shutout. He was handed the loss in his only postseason appearance, but had played well enough to make two spot starts with the Blackhawks in the NHL, where he surrendered five goals. Crawford was returned to the AHL for the entire 2006-2007 season, and played in a career-high sixty games to the tune of a 38-20-2 record and 2.84 GAA, as well as one shutout. He went 2-4 in six playoff games, and held a 3.31 GAA in those appearances. Crawford spent a majority of the 2007-2008 season with the new Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, and played to a 29-17-7 record in fifty-five games, paired with a 2.83 GAA and three shutouts. The playoffs saw him go 7-5 in twelve games, with a 2.19 GAA, and earned him some time in the NHL. In five games, he went 1-2-0 with a 2.14 GAA and one shutout, his first win coming against the Anaheim Ducks. He was signed to a one-year contract in the offseason. Crawford then played another heavy season in Rockford in 2008-2009, with a 22-20-3 record over forty-seven games, including a 2.59 GAA and two shutouts. He played in his first NHL postseason game later that year playing in sixteen minutes of relief. Crawford again returned to the AHL in 2009-2010, playing in forty-three games with a 2.67 GAA and a 24-16-2 record, while notching one shutout. He suffered in the postseason, losing all four games he played, but still was called up to the NHL, losing one regular season game. Being buried on the depth chart, Crawford did not see time during the Blackhawks successful Stanley Cup run in 2010. Due to the salary purge the Blackhawks made after winning the Stanley Cup, however, Crawford was given an extended look in the NHL. Previously, Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi blocked Crawford's path, but with one heading overseas to the Swiss League and the other being too rich for Chicago's blood and signing with the San Jose Sharks, Crawford was able to directly compete for the starting job. At times he struggled to wrangle the job from veteran Marty Turco, but he ended up registering a line of 33-18-6 in fifty-seven appearances in 2010-2011, with four shutouts and a 2.30 GAA in the regular season. His performance earned him a three-year contract worth $8 million. During the playoffs, Crawford was 3-4 in seven games, with a 2.21 GAA in a closely played series with the Vancouver Canucks. Crawford returned to a full starting role in 2011-2012, playing in fifty-seven games again while earning a 30-17-7 record and a 2.72 GAA. Due to his struggles, he lost significant playing time to Ray Emery, but regained the starting role for six playoff games, where he was 2-4 with a 2.58 GAA. Crawford did not play during the 2012 NHL lockout, and came back with the starter's role for the 2013 season. He played a big part in the Blackhawks earning a point in twenty-four consecutive games to begin the season, and ended up with a 19-5-5 record in thirty games during the regular season, as well as a 1.94 GAA and three shutouts. Crawford and Emery shared the William M. Jennings trophy, awarded to the goaltender(s) who allow the fewest goals for their teams in the season. Despite the timeshare in the regular season, Crawford was given full control of the crease in the postseason, and put up a 16-7 record over twenty-three games, with a 1.84 GAA to guide the Blackhawks to their second Stanley Cup championship in four years. Crawford enters the upcoming season in the final year of his contract, which means he will be looking to have a big year to get a large contract.
Corey Crawford was born on December 31st, 1984, in Chateauguay, Quebec. He began his hockey career playing in Quebec's AAA Midget League with the Gatineau Intrepides at the age of sixteen in the 2000-2001 season. He had a line of twenty-one games played, as well as a 17-3-1 record, and a 1.92 goals-against average, including two shutouts. The next season, 2001-2002, Crawford played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the Moncton Wildcats, where he posted 9-20-3 record in thirty-eight appearances while playing to a mediocre 3.74 GAA. Crawford took on a larger portion of the goaltending duties in 2002-2003, playing in fifty games to a record of 24-17-6, while adding two shutouts and a 2.73 GAA, before going 2-3 in six playoff games. Crawford was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, being selected by the Chicago Blackhawks. He remained with Moncton for 2003-2004, appearing in fifty-four games while improving his numbers to a 35-15-3 record, 2.62 GAA, and two shutouts. In the playoffs, Crawford was even better in going 13-6 in twenty postseason games, ending those games with a 2.15 GAA. He was named to the QMJHL Second Team All-Stars, and was also named Defensive Player of the Year. The 2004-2005 season was his last with the Wildcats, and he supplied a 2.47 GAA with a 28-16-6 record in fifty-one games, as well as six shutouts en route to being named to the Second Team All-Stars again. In the postseason, he had a 6-6 record and a 2.73 GAA over twelve games. Crawford made the jump to the Blackhawks' American Hockey League affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, in 2005-2006, where he played in forty-eight games with a 22-23 record and 2.94 GAA, recording just one shutout. He was handed the loss in his only postseason appearance, but had played well enough to make two spot starts with the Blackhawks in the NHL, where he surrendered five goals. Crawford was returned to the AHL for the entire 2006-2007 season, and played in a career-high sixty games to the tune of a 38-20-2 record and 2.84 GAA, as well as one shutout. He went 2-4 in six playoff games, and held a 3.31 GAA in those appearances. Crawford spent a majority of the 2007-2008 season with the new Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, and played to a 29-17-7 record in fifty-five games, paired with a 2.83 GAA and three shutouts. The playoffs saw him go 7-5 in twelve games, with a 2.19 GAA, and earned him some time in the NHL. In five games, he went 1-2-0 with a 2.14 GAA and one shutout, his first win coming against the Anaheim Ducks. He was signed to a one-year contract in the offseason. Crawford then played another heavy season in Rockford in 2008-2009, with a 22-20-3 record over forty-seven games, including a 2.59 GAA and two shutouts. He played in his first NHL postseason game later that year playing in sixteen minutes of relief. Crawford again returned to the AHL in 2009-2010, playing in forty-three games with a 2.67 GAA and a 24-16-2 record, while notching one shutout. He suffered in the postseason, losing all four games he played, but still was called up to the NHL, losing one regular season game. Being buried on the depth chart, Crawford did not see time during the Blackhawks successful Stanley Cup run in 2010. Due to the salary purge the Blackhawks made after winning the Stanley Cup, however, Crawford was given an extended look in the NHL. Previously, Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi blocked Crawford's path, but with one heading overseas to the Swiss League and the other being too rich for Chicago's blood and signing with the San Jose Sharks, Crawford was able to directly compete for the starting job. At times he struggled to wrangle the job from veteran Marty Turco, but he ended up registering a line of 33-18-6 in fifty-seven appearances in 2010-2011, with four shutouts and a 2.30 GAA in the regular season. His performance earned him a three-year contract worth $8 million. During the playoffs, Crawford was 3-4 in seven games, with a 2.21 GAA in a closely played series with the Vancouver Canucks. Crawford returned to a full starting role in 2011-2012, playing in fifty-seven games again while earning a 30-17-7 record and a 2.72 GAA. Due to his struggles, he lost significant playing time to Ray Emery, but regained the starting role for six playoff games, where he was 2-4 with a 2.58 GAA. Crawford did not play during the 2012 NHL lockout, and came back with the starter's role for the 2013 season. He played a big part in the Blackhawks earning a point in twenty-four consecutive games to begin the season, and ended up with a 19-5-5 record in thirty games during the regular season, as well as a 1.94 GAA and three shutouts. Crawford and Emery shared the William M. Jennings trophy, awarded to the goaltender(s) who allow the fewest goals for their teams in the season. Despite the timeshare in the regular season, Crawford was given full control of the crease in the postseason, and put up a 16-7 record over twenty-three games, with a 1.84 GAA to guide the Blackhawks to their second Stanley Cup championship in four years. Crawford enters the upcoming season in the final year of his contract, which means he will be looking to have a big year to get a large contract.
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