Feb. 24--Corey Crawford was an interested observer of the Blackhawks' alumni game against the North Stars/Wild on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
The Hawks goaltender paid particular attention to Jimmy Waite, one of the goalies for the Hawks alumni and Crawford's current goaltending coach.
"He played well. He made some big saves," said Crawford, who joked that he and backup Scott Darling "might have to do a little video (work) ... and criticize a few things."
That would be a role reversal for Waite, who is paid to analyze Crawford and Darling and help them raise their games. He's in his second season as the Hawks goaltending coach and his third stint with the team that drafted him eighth overall in 1987.
Waite replaced Steve Weeks before last season and helped guide the Hawks goalies to the Jennings Trophy with a league-low 189 regular-season goals allowed (tied with the Canadiens). Before Weeks, Waite's brother, Stephane, was the Hawks goaltending coach for a decade. Crawford and Jimmy Waite got to know one another at hockey schools Stephane directed in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
"Jimmy has been awesome," Crawford said. "He's a great guy to be around and he's played the game at the NHL level. He knows what it's about. We've grown a good chemistry of everything (from) working on video, technically, how we should play certain situations, practice drills and knowing when it's time to work and when it's time to get a little bit of rest. And with Darling in the mix, too, we have a really good thing going here as a goalie unit."
Said Waite, 46: "The important part of it is to know your goalie and really understand when you need to do stuff or when you need to step back. Crow and I have a great relationship, and Scott too. I couldn't be happier with the two goalies I have."
The familiarity between Waite and Crawford helped make a smooth transition from Weeks, who was fired after one season, and before that Stephane Waite.
"Steph was great," Crawford said. "I learned a lot from him. He was a little bit more on about video and practice, and we were out there a little more often before practice. Weeks was awesome too; I got along well with him. They felt Jimmy was someone who could help me bring my game to the next level.
"That relationship has grown to points where we can work together and be confident about changing stuff or whatever we need to do to have the best chance to stop pucks."
Crawford has been among the best in the NHL at that, currently ranking first in shutouts (seven), second in wins (32) and fourth in save percentage (.928).
Waite said he had "no doubt in my mind" that Crawford would become a top goalie.
"He's always underrated, but now people are starting to put him in the top five, which I think he belongs," Waite said. "He's proven it every year and he's got two (Stanley) Cups. He's just steady, and that's what I like about him. He never gets too high or too low. He's always a straight line and is such a great team player as well."
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville has seen the relationship between Crawford and Waite blossom.
"There is a great rapport of understanding the mindset of where they're at, daily almost," Quenneville said. "They review games, they get themselves prepared going into games, they find that balance of when it's time to get a step away from the game and get your mind off the situation. Because you know how taxing it can be.
"It's gotten better, just like Crow's game has gotten better every year since he's been here. They've grown together."
ckuc@tribpub.com
