FEATURE: Blackhawks see potential in young goalies

Most of the storylines at Training Camp pertaining to the Blackhawks goaltending situation involve the ongoing recovery of Corey Crawford - and rightfully so. However, including Crawford, the club has seven goalies at camp, and most of them are young prospects.
If you ask the team, the future looks bright between the pipes with the majority of that group showing their potential already.

Two of their youngest prospects have shown really well in game action this summer. Alexis Gravel and Kevin Lankinen attended the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich. and both looked solid. Their forward momentum has continued, with both looking good against NHL players at the Training Camp Festival Scrimmage on Saturday.
"I thought the goaltending throughout the game was pretty effective," said Head Coach Joel Quenneville. "Jimmy's always happy about that."
Lankinen, in particular, would have made Goalie Coach Jimmy Waite very happy. He made a few highlight-reel saves against elite scoring threats like Nick Schmaltz and Patrick Kane.
Lankinen's progress this summer comes as no surprise to the team that signed the Finn to a two-year contract in May.
"He had a great year last year," said Bernard. "Our scouts really liked him. All three guys are going to be fun to watch during training camp."
Lankinen is settling in at camp and adjusting to the speed of NHL shots.
"You can tell it's different," said Lankinen. "Guys pick the corners so well, they don't need so much time to release. You've got to be more alert all the time. That's what I've noticed so far."

Gravel was selected in the sixth round, 162nd overall, in the 2018 NHL Draft. There's a lot to like about the son of former Olympic goaltender Francois Gravel. He was ranked third amongst North American netminders by NHL Central Scouting. He's enjoying the experience of his first NHL camp, including the scrimmage.
"It was really cool, actually," Gravel said of Saturday. "I had never practiced with the (NHL players) before so it was my first time with them. Plus, we had an amazing crowd. It was a great experience. I was less nervous than in Traverse City. I thought that was weird a little bit. Then in the first period I saw Cam Ward and those guys play and I was like 'wow, those guys are pros.' Then when I went in I was nervous but I just said, 'let's play and have fun.' So I enjoyed my time and tried to make my usual plays. It was really fun and a good time."
Outside of those two youngsters, the Blackhawks like the development of Collin Delia, who played two NHL games last season and enjoyed a successful postseason run in Rockford.
"Last year, he spent time in the ECHL, the American League and the NHL, and had a great postseason for us, worked hard all summer and is going to make a hard push here in Training Camp," said Bernard.
Anton Forsberg is another guy the Blackhawks hope makes a big jump this season.
"We really liked (him) when he was in the Columbus organization," said Bernard. "He was part of a deal last summer. I felt a little bit bad for him at times. He came in here last year, his first full year in the NHL, and was supposed to learn the ropes behind Corey. He got pushed into the starting duty, and that's a tough go for a young goaltender, it's not an easy league to play in. At times, I thought he looked fantastic. He has a lot of upside and a lot of skill, so we're excited about him."

Bernard also made sure to mention Matt Tomkins, who the team selected in the seventh round in 2012. He has played for Ohio State University and most recently for the Indy Fuel of the ECHL.
"Matt Tompkins, I don't want to forget about him," Bernard said. "He's a young guy, the same age as Delia and Lankinen, who went the college route. This is only his second-year pro and he had a really good first year last year for us."
This group of young players has the benefit of watching Crawford and Cam Ward, two established NHL veterans and Stanley Cup champions, prepare and practice each day.
"This is the perfect place to learn," said Lankinen. "You can see up close the kind of guys who win Stanley Cups and play (in the NHL) for such a long time. You just ask questions about their gear and how they play. Just looking at them, it gives you so much new information."
"Very excited," Bernard said of this year's group.
"Our young goaltenders have come along very nicely."