CHICAGO The saving grace for the 2018-19 Blackhawks is supposed to be Corey Crawford. Chicago optimists point to how the Blackhawks were still a playoff contender before Crawford was sidelined with a , and believe his return to health can catapult the team back to the postseason.

Unfortunately, any feel-good narrative should have been deflated Friday when Crawford met the media before the Blackhawks annual fan convention. Unlike general manager Stan Bowmans and coach Joel Quennevilles positivity, Crawford only said it would be very po sible for him to feel 100 percent by training camp and stopped far short of saying hed be ready for the Oct. 4 opener Jeff Locke Jersey .

I am feeling pretty good right now. I am not at 100 percent yet, said Crawford, who still hasnt skated. But weve come a long way in the last couple months and I worked really hard to do whatever I can to get better and Im excited to be here right now and see all the guys and get that feeling of being back in it.

Regardle s of Crawfords status for September and October, the fact the Blackhawks were is troubling for many reasons. One of which is how theyll have to handle his workload if and when he does play this season.

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Since becoming the unquestioned starter during the 2010-11 season, Crawford hasnt been the NHLs most durable goalie,never playing more than 57 games in a campaign. Even if he does come back sometime this season, its not like the Blackhawks will be able to ride him as much as theyd like to save a roster that, barring a move before camp, still looks too weak to compete with the NHL elite.

Crows always played around 55 games anyways if you look back at all his stats. Its not the amount of Starlin Castro Jersey games, just something that happened that doesnt have anything to do with the amount of games that hes played in the past, Chicago goalie coach Jimmy Waite said. If he comes back, I think 55 games is a good number for sure.

Crawford speaks.

That means former Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward will have to step in for at least 35 games. And though the Blackhawks are quick to point out his Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe resume, those days are far in the past for Ward. Last season, Ward had a 23-14-4 record that masked a .906 save percentage, and he only regained the No. 1 job after former Chicago backup Scott Darling flopped badly.

In an absolute best-case scenario, Ward isnt Crawfords partner but his true backup who plays only when the two-time Stanley Cup winner needs a break. In the worst case, its Ward, Anton Forsberg Trevor Richards Jersey or maybe prospect Collin Delia trying to keep Chicago competitive in the lethal Central Division.

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I think Im prepared to do whatevers asked of me, Ward said. Its tough, you go into a season you never really know what to expect. I think a lot about Corey Crawford and his game and his capabilities of being a number one, and Im here to be a good partner for him and to be able to support him.

The Blackhawks also know what they have to do to support Crawford, whose season ended in December with a16-9-2 record, 2.27 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.

To keep Crawford on the ice as much as po sible and ready for the busine s end of the season, theyll have to manage his health when and if he does return from the ailment they still havent disclosed. Waite didnt want to say whether thered be a concern about Crawfords healthif or when he does play again.

Im not a doctor, but Ive talked to him a few times this summer and hes feeling good right now, Waite said. Hopefully he keeps progre sing to being 100 percent. Right now hes not 100 percent yet but we feel confident that hes going to be, so when he is hes going to be the number one goalie and hes going Christian Yelich Jersey to play all the games. Were going to manage those games as well, for sure.

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Among the many i sues facing Crawford, the idea he hasnt skated rubs some the wrong way. Other than an ill-fated skate Feb. 12 in Arizona, Crawford hasnt been on the ice since his last start Dec. 23 in New Jersey.

Crawford made it clear he didnt want to discu s what hes doing to stay in shape.

Im not going to get into what Im doing now, he said. Treatments are going well and were making small steps and Im getting a little better so Andre Dawson Jersey its a proce s. Its been a proce s since I left in December. It hasnt been easy but Ill be back.

Q speaks.

Waite, who said Crawford has been working in the gym, was asked whether it would behoove Crawford to be skating now, considering the lengthy layoff. Unlike some observers, Waite said I dont think theres any rush getting on the ice right now.

He pointed to how there are still six weeks until training camp, and that once Crawford is 100 percent healthy, it wouldnt take him that long to get ready.

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For sure its going to take a few games. Its been since December, but its like riding a bike, Waite said. I think hes going to be (able to) step right back into it. A few weeks of good ice time and a couple good exhibition games I think hes going to be ready to go.

By the time Crawford is ready to go, Chicago could be well past exhibition games. It could be Nov.1, Nov. 15, Dec.1 or even later. And at that point, Crawford would need to work himself into game shape during the heat of a pivotal season for Chicagos future.

Duncan Keith, when informed that Crawford said hes getting closer to returning, said that's good to hear that he's getting better.

That's positive. Neil Walker Jersey Probably just take as much as you can from that and hope that he keeps getting better, Keith said. There's still a month, a month and a half until training camp and hopefully he's ready. And if he's not ready for training camp, hopefully he's ready for Game 1. If he's not ready for Game 1, hopefully he's ready by Christmas or something.

There is something Crawford is sure of: Hell be able to return to the form that had him in contention for his first Vezina Trophy.

I dont doubt that at all, Crawford said.