This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
Is this the year Corey Crawford sneaks up on everyone and gets his due?
He's frequently criticized for being an average goaltender on a very above average team, helping to float him and make him seem like one of the elites in the league right now, a Chris Osgood for millennials.
Last year he posted a very good .924 save percentage, en route to his second Stanley Cup Championship. While there were questions along the way, he got a lot more respect in the end despite looking terrible in the opening round against Nashville.
As Braden Holtby begins to falter on the back of what has been an incredible season, Crawford's .929 save percentage looks pretty good. It's second in the league, and he's played 26 more games than Thomas Greiss, who sits in first place.
Crawford is second in wins and his seven shutouts pace the league. He's been excellent and it's hard to question the sample size when he's played the fifth most minutes, faced the second most shots and has started the second most games.
So, is this the year Crawford becomes recognized as one of the league's best? He just got named to team Canada in the first selection group and that was a pretty big statement by Hockey Canada. Will this be the year of Crawford? He may be the new frontrunner for goaltender of the year.
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid
Lightning (Ben Bishop) at Flyers (Steve Mason), 7:00 PM
Sabres (Chad Johnson) at Maple Leafs (Garret Sparks), 7:30 PM
Bruins (Tuukka Rask) at Panthers (Roberto Luongo), 7:30 PM
Coyotes (Louis Domingue) at Avalanche (Semyon Varlamov), 9:00 PM
Sharks (Martin Jones) at Flames (Jonas Hiller), 9:00 PM
Capitals (Braden Holtby) at Ducks (John Gibson), 10:00 PM
Canucks (Ryan Miller) at Kings (Jonathan Quick), 10:30 PM
Injury News For Teams Playing Monday
Tampa Bay Lightning
Jonathan Drouin, C (suspension) - continues to serve a team suspension
Andrej Sustr, D (undisclosed) - is questionable for Monday
Philadelphia Flyers
Jakub Voracek, LW (lower body) - remains out
Michael Del Zotto, D (wrist) - may miss the rest of the season
Jordan Weal, C (upper body) - is on IR
Buffalo Sabres
Cody McCormick, C (blood clots) - may not play again this season
Cody Franson, D (neck) - things "have gone the wrong way" with his recovery
Ryan O'Reilly, C (lower body) - remains out
Tyler Ennis, LW (concussion) - hopes to return for the season's final games
Toronto Maple Leafs
Tyler Bozak, C (head) - has no timetable for a return
Byron Froese, C (hand) - has been out since taking a slapshot off the hand
James van Riemsdyk, LW (foot) - is done for the season
Milan Michalek, LW (finger) - anticipates a return Monday
Stephane Robidas, D (knee) - has no timetable for a return
Raffi Torres, LW (knee) - has been shut down for the season
Brad Boyes, RW (upper body) - hopes to return Friday
Joffrey Lupul, LW (abdomen) - is out for the season
P.A. Parenteau, RW (upper body) - hopes to return Wednesday
Boston Bruins
Chris Kelly, RW (fractured femur) - isn't going to be back soon
Kevan Miller, D (upper body) - is out
Zac Rinaldo, C (suspended) - won't be back soon
Florida Panthers
Jonathan Huberdeau, LW (upper body) - could return Monday
Derek MacKenzie, C (lower body) - is out
Dave Bolland, C (lower body) - is on IR
Willie Mitchell, D (undisclosed) - is questionable
Arizona Coyotes
Mike Smith, G (lower body) - could return soon
Anders Lindback, G (Achilles) - is done for the year
Joe Vitale, C (concussion) - is out for the year
Colorado Avalanche
Eric Gelinas, D (undisclosed) - didn't skate Saturday
Ben Street, C (chest) - is out
Jesse Winchester, LW (concussion) - has missed the entire season so far
Brad Stuart, D (back) - is on the shelf
San Jose Sharks
Tommy Wingels, RW (shoulder) - is making progress, but missed Saturday's game
Matt Tennyson, D (head) - is unlikely
Melker Karlsson, C (undisclosed) - didn't play Saturday
Calgary Flames
Ladislav Smid, D (upper body) - is on IR
Karri Ramo, G (ACL) - is out for the season
Dennis Wideman, D (suspension) - continues to serve his 20-game suspension
Washington Capitals
John Carlson, D (lower body) - remains out
Anaheim Ducks
Brandon Pirri, C (ankle) - remains out
Shawn Horcoff, C (suspension) - continues to serve a 20-game suspension
Chris Stewart, RW (jaw) - will not return soon
Vancouver Canucks
Radim Vrbata, RW (undisclosed) - is questionable for Monday's game
Alexander Edler, D (leg) - is on long-term injured reserve
Jannik Hansen, RW (rib) - could miss another week
Brandon Sutter, C (jaw) - continues his recovery
Henrik Sedin, C (upper body) - has been ruled out of Monday's game
Los Angeles Kings
Marian Gaborik, RW (knee) - could return before the end of the season
Jordan Nolan, RW (undisclosed) - remains out indefinitely
Kris Versteeg, RW (upper body) - left Saturday's game with an injury and is questionable for Monday
Matt Greene, D (shoulder) - is out for the season
Hot
Mark Scheifele, C, WPG — All this kid does is score. With a goal in Winnipeg's 2-1 loss to Edmonton on Sunday, he's got six goals in the last three games on the back of 14 shots. You can even stretch that out. He's put up nine goals and 14 points over the last nine games. Things are clicking for the big 22-year-old who has already set a career-high with 21 goals in just 54 games.
Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT — A pair of goals in Sunday's win gives Malkin 16 multi-point games on the season. He's just six games back from an injury that left him off the roster for most of February, but he appears to be healthy and ready for the postseason push. In those six games he has four goals and three assists.
Cold
Petr Mrazek, G, DET — Mrazek was quietly having an outstanding year for a long while there. He got next to no credit, but was keeping Detroit in the game every night. Now, things have soured. He only made it 6:19 into Sunday's game before he was given the hook. He's allowed 10 goals in his last three starts, and that includes Sunday's 6:19 as a full game. He's been below a .900 save percentage in five of his last seven starts and was pulled twice in that span. Despite having two partial games in there, he's still averaging an unpleasant 3.29 goals against per game.
Recommended Pickup
Matt Murray, G, PIT — Murray is up in the NHL and he may be up for good. He put in another solid start Sunday, stopping 17 of 18 against the Devils. In six starts this season he's posted a .917 save percentage or better in each of those games. He looks reliable, has been outstanding in the AHL and the team is looking to give him some games and keep Marc-Andre Fleury rested a bit headed into the playoffs, instead of over-working him down the stretch, as they've done in the past.
