Corey Crawford compares his protective hockey gear, which deflects pucks, to the way police officers' vests stop bullets in an ad campaign to raise money for about 1,900 new vests.
In a joint press conference with the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation on Tuesday, the Blackhawks also announced plans to donate $5,000 this week to the "Get Behind The Vest" drive, which has already provided more than 6,100 replacement vests since the fall of 2014.
The foundation hopes a renewed push this week will help supplement the cost of their previously stated goal of 8,000 bulletproof vests.
The TV and online spots, which made their debut Tuesday at Chicago Police headquarters, stars Crawford and Chicago police officer Alejandro Lagunas, who references being shot while investigating drug activity in March in the ad. "My vest stops a shot and saves the game," the Blackhawks goaltender starts. "My vest stopped a shot from a drug dealer's gun. My vest saved my life," Lagunas says.
Blackhawks marketing executive director Pete Hassen said the Hawks have challenged other teams and corporations to back the campaign in part because of recent high-profile fatal shootings of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, but he also cited the financial burden Chicago officers bear in buying replacement body armor after their original, city-issued vests have either worn out years or have been shot.
"For hockey players ... with temperature and wear-and-tear, equipment seems to wear down quite quickly, but they have the pleasure and the unique ability to have that equipment replaced on behalf of the team," Hassen said. "Our men and women in law enforcement out there don't have that benefit."
Donations can be made at getbehindthevest.org.
