Corey Crawford ‘unfit to play’ as Blackhawks announce playoffs roster, begin training camp

Corey Crawford did not attend the Blackhawks’ first practice of training camp Monday and was deemed “unfit to play.” | AP Photo/David Banks

The Blackhawks opened training camp Monday without arguably the most important piece of their playoff hopes.

Goaltender Corey Crawford, the lone proven option between the pipes since Robin Lehner’s deadline trade, did not attend practice and was declared “unfit to play” by coach Jeremy Colliton.

Per the league’s Return to Play protocols, the Hawks can’t disclose why Crawford — also the team’s lone NHL regular not to join Phase 2 workouts in prior weeks — was absent Monday or for how long he’ll be absent.

But based on Colliton’s comments, the Hawks are treating it like a long-term reality and looking toward deadline addition Malcolm Subban and AHL goalies Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen to compete to fill the void.

“We’ve told them it’s going to be based on how they perform, and they’re all going to have equal opportunity,” Colliton said. “At the end, we’re going to have to make a decision.”

The Crawford saga highlighted an eventful first day of camp, which will last for the next two weeks until the team travels to Edmonton on July 26.

Brent Seabrook, out since December after undergoing three surgeries on his shoulders and hips, and Calvin de Haan, also out since December after undergoing shoulder surgery, were among the notable participants in practice Monday. Crawford, despite his absence, is also listed on the team’s official 35-man camp roster.

But that roster doesn’t include Zack Smith, who suffered a then-season-ending back injury in February, or Andrew Shaw, out since November with lingering concussion issues. At this point, both players’ careers could be in jeopardy.

Recently signed prospect Ian Mitchell, ineligible to appear in the playoffs, was also not included on the roster announcement Monday.

The Hawks can still elect to burn one of Mitchell’s three entry-level contract years on 2020-21 just to have him practice — but not play — with the team, and general manager Stan Bowman said he’s nearing an agreement with Mitchell’s agent on that.

The Blackhawks held a full practice Monday at Fifth Third Arena for the first time in four months.

The Hawks split practice into two groups: one comprised of NHL regulars, the other of “taxi squad” players who spent most of the year in the AHL. That list of call-ups includes forwards MacKenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel, Reese Johnson, Philipp Kurashev, John Quenneville and Dylan Sikura; defensemen Nicolas Beaudin, Chad Krys and Alec Regula; and goaltender Matt Tomkins.

The group of NHL regulars went through an intense practice, competing in numerous 2-on-2 and 3-on-2 drills before running a brief 5-on-5 scrimmage and finishing with 20 minutes of continuous lap skating.

Bowman confirmed none of the Hawks’ players decided to opt out of the restart. A handful of players around the NHL did, including Oilers defenseman Mike Green, who the Hawks now won’t have to face in their qualifying round series.

Blackhawks' lines and pairings in practice today:

DeBrincat-Toews-Saad
Nylander-Strome-Kane
Kubalik-Dach-Caggiula
Carpenter-Kampf-Highmore

Keith-Boqvist
de Haan-Murphy
Maatta-Koekkoek
Carlsson-Seabrook

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) July 13, 2020