It's been a troubling season for the Blackhawks and the calendar hasn't even flipped to 2019 yet. They parted ways with the second-winningest coach of all-time in Joel Quenneville, traded a player who was perceived to be part of the new core in Nick Schmaltz and sit in the basement of the NHL standings.
But the worst-case scenario unfolded on Sunday night when Corey Crawford left the game after a violent collision in the crease that resulted in the back of his head hitting the post. The Blackhawks confirmed afterwards that he sustained another concussion, his second known one in less than a year. And it's concerning for many reasons.
First and foremost, Crawford's health is the only thing that truly matters both right now and in the grand scheme of things and, judging by how silent the United Center got after he skated off with head athletic trainer Mike Gapski, the city of Chicago agrees.
Crawford's history is well-documented. It took him 10 months to recover from the last concussion that sidelined him for 47 games during the 2017-18 campaign and the first five this season as he got himself into game shape. He battled so hard to get back. And then this happens.
It's unclear what kind of symptoms Crawford is feeling and how long this could keep him out for, but the Blackhawks are surely going to err on the side of caution going forward. There's no reason not to. Whether or not this injury makes Crawford consider stepping away from the game of hockey is entirely up to him and only him. That's a separate conversation.
Unfortunately on the business side of things, this raises many questions for the Blackhawks.
What if Crawford is out for an extended period of time again? Can they rely on his health in the future? Does finding his long-term replacement immediately become a top priority? Is the answer already in the organization or do they have to explore external options? And how could this affect their offseason approach?
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When things settle down and there's more clarity surrounding Crawford's status, these are the questions the Blackhawks will be asking themselves and must answer going into one of the most important summers in recent memory.
Crawford turns 34 on Dec. 31 and has one year remaining on his contract after this season worth $6 million. Where he fits into the Blackhawks' plans is pretty low on the list of things that matter at this point.
Right now, it's about hoping for the best that Crawford can recover as quickly as possible that way he can make a decision regarding his future on his own terms.
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