In the 2013 NHL season, the Chicago Blackhawks possessed an element they had lacked since hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2010.
Solid goaltending.
Led by Corey Crawford, the Blackhawks were able to overcome two straight first round playoff exits to Vancouver and Phoenix to capture their second title in four years.
However, their number two goalie on the roster was more than just a back-up. 30-year-old Ray Emery silenced his critics quickly, winning 12 straight games to start the season. That surpassed an NHL record, one that Emery set years prior. Even though “Razor” sat out every playoff game, he put up some astonishing numbers in the regular season.
Emery finished the year off with a staggering record of 17-1 and a goals-against average of 1.94. The William M. Jennings trophy was also awarded to both Emery and Crawford for allowing the least goals in the regular season (1o2) as a tandem in net for the 2013 Stanley Cup Champions.
While the Hawks knew they needed to clear some of their cap space this offseason, the number one priority on General Manager Stan Bowman’s to do list was to keep that solid combination in the crease.
Then the first day of NHL free agency rolled around.
On July 5, the Philadelphia Flyers reached a deal with Emery for one year worth $1.65 million. There was now a hole in the Blackhawks depth chart. Their one-two punch in net was gone.
Who knows where the Hawks would be right now if it wasn’t for Emery pushing the younger Corey Crawford the past two seasons and turning him into the dominant goaltender he is today. This deadly mix of talent was a nightmare for all teams in the Western Conference. They were a brick wall.
Now they have the “Bulin Wall.”
For the second time in his career, 40-year-old Nikolai Khabibulin is a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. Khabibulin was signed to a one year, $2 million dollar contract, just a few hours after Emery’s deal was reached.
But is the hole they desperately need to fill gone?
When Khabibulin left the Blackhawks after the 2008-2009 season, he signed a four year deal with the Edmonton Oilers. During that contract, he had a record of 33-67-13. Don’t be quick to judge the Russian netminder solely by his wins, however.
With a deteriorating defense in front of him, Khabibulin was still able to average a save percentage of .908% during his stint in Oil Country. Now just how much is left in the tank after a lengthy 19 year career?
That question will be answered when Khabibulin reports to training camp before the regular season.
While the favorite is in the veteran presence of Khabibulin, his name isn’t penciled in as the back-up goaltender just yet. There seems to be another serious candidate vying for the job on the outside looking in.
His first name is Antti and he was born in Finland. No, his last name isn’t Niemi.
Antti Raanta was an undrafted free agent playing in his home country before the Hawks decided to take a look at him. Similar to Niemi, the Blackhawks scouts were very impressed. He was then signed to a one year entry-level contract on June 3 of this year. Although he is unheard of around the National Hockey League, the 24-year-old can flat out play.
This year alone, Raanta took home plenty of hardware. He won the Lasse Oksanen trophy in the SM-liiga (also known as the Finnish Elite League), equivalent to the MVP of the regular season. Then he was selected as the best player throughout the league playoffs and was awarded the Jari Kurri trophy. On top of all that, his team (Ässät) won the Kanada-malja (the Finnish Championship).
Although he has excelled tremendously during his career, the Blackhawks don’t want to rush Raanta into the NHL. He will most likely start the season in the American Hockey League with Rockford. The Hawks want Raanta to first adjust to the different ice surface and the style of play, but eventually he’ll get his shot in the pros. But who deserves to be the first man called upon if Crawford gets injured or suffers from a Stanley Cup hangover?
As W.E. Hickson once said, “At first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.”
I believe Nikolai Khabibulin can get the job done, even at his age. With the amount of finesse the Chicago Blackhawks have on their back-end, it’s hard not to succeed with a solid goaltender like him in net. His time playing hockey is running out, but that just might motivate him for the chance to add one more Stanley Cup to his résumé.
The only time Khabibulin has held NHL’s most prized trophy was in 2004 when he played for the Tampa Lightning. Unlike Raanta, he has experience, which is the biggest reason why I think “Khabby” should be backing up Corey Crawford.
Raanta has not yet proven himself in the NHL so it’s tough to judge how good he actually is. Like all prospects it can be a hit or miss. I don’t think the Blackhawks are in a position to find out exactly where he is skill-wise while trying to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.
They need someone who they can count on if their #1 goes down, and Khabibulin is that man. Whether he is called upon in a major role or not, he will always give the Blackhawks a chance to win.
But if Khabibulin can’t get the job done, Antti Raanta will be ready to have his number called.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to follow me on twitter @CMS_74_. Give the rest of the hockey department a follow while you’re at it – @LastWordBigMick, @TheHockeyMitch, @ddmatthews, @CanuckPuckHead, @lastwordBKerr, and @LastWordOnNHL, and follow the site @lastwordonsport.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how.
Main Photo Credit: j.clark @ Flickr, wiki commons, CC
