Hawks give Lalime $950,000 contract

When the season ended, Blackhawks goaltender Patrick Lalime considered going on the free-agent market July 1 in hopes of landing a multiyear contract. In the end, a significant raise from the Hawks trumped the unknown. Lalime agreed to a one-year contract Thursday believed to be worth $950,000. He made $700,000 last season. Lalime would have preferred a multiyear contract, especially at 32. The Hawks have two years left on the contract of starter Nikolai Khabibulin. They also expect goalie of the future Corey Crawford to be in Chicago by 2008-09, if not sooner. In his second professional season, Crawford, 23, had a stellar campaign for Norfolk of the American Hockey League. He finished second in the league with 38 victories with a 2.84 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. After playing just one game in the AHL playoffs last season, Crawford will be the starter as Norfolk opens the Calder Cup playoffs Friday against Wilkes-Barre. Lalime had an up-and-down season. Coming off a knee injury, Lalime injured his back before training camp and needed surgery. He made his Hawks debut with a shutout Feb. 7 against Vancouver. He finished 4-5-1 with a 3.07 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage. World roster Two Hawks and two Hawks prospects have been invited to play in the world championships, which will be April 27 to May 13 in Moscow. Tuomo Ruutu and Tony Salmelainen will play for Finland, and prospects Jonathan Toews and Nathan Davis have been invited to the Canadian and American teams, respectively.

The story of goalie Patrick Lalime

Lalime has something to prove. He let in a couple of weak shots when he was last in Ottawa. Its not how he wanted it to end with the Senators. Then he got traded to St. Louis. He was mad about the hole situation of being traded for losing a game due to some mistakes. H eknows that he deserves alot of blame for that game but he hates people pointing fingers. "Thats how hockey is," said Lalime. Things didn't go well with the Blues. He felt the pressure pretty early and thought he didn't do things right after almost each game and thinks it may have got to him. "And that just made it a snowball." "I can't believe they sent me to the minors." He thinks it was a good slap in the face and still mad about the whole situation. Lalime also believes he has alot of hockey left in him. "I got called up and bam, I tore my ACL." Patrick discribes it as a gunshot that created alot of noise. He sid he got injured, but what can he do. Lalime says the best he can do is het beck healthy and ready for training camp. "Not I got a fresh start in Chicago." He has been working hard to get back into hockey. To get his mind off of hockey, he flys a helicopter that he recently bought. "I know i have something to prove." He wants to play an it does not matter who is in front of him. Patrick still believes he can be a number one. -------------------- Later after Lalime was interviewed he got a herniated disk from riding a bicycle. He is close to returning in the beginning of January.

Something to Prove

For Lalime last season is one he would rather forget. The former Senators netminder posted his first losing record (4-18) in seven NHL seasons. His poor play with the St. Louis Blues earned him a trip to the minors. Adding insult to injury last season Lalime tore his left ACL in a late-season game with the Blues. Lalime must now prove to the Chicago Blackhawks that they were correct in taking a chance on signing him as a free agent this past off-season. http://www2.sportsnet.ca/video/videoPlayer.php?url= rtmp://38.99.151.50/sportsnet/SCA_LALIME_06_09_06.flv

Ready for Next Season

Patrick Lalime is ready for the next season of the nhl. He is sporting off RBK's new pad. He decided he wants to hang up the Sherwood's but is still using the stick. His mask is going to feature Marvin wearing feathers instead of the roman helmet. We currently have 2 pictures of Lalime with Chicago gear. We will update you anytime we get anything new.

Hawks insider answers Latham's question

Is Patrick Lalime healthy for training camp. What will be Patrick's expected job? -- John Latham, Port Colborne, ON. John, Lalime is 100% recovered from his shoulder injury last season and will serve as Khabibulin's backup this year. He is on a one-way contract, so the only way you're likely to see Crawford or Sebastien Caron is if Khabibulin or Lalime gets injured. The Blackhawks have high hopes Crawford, who needs at least one more full year in the American Hockey League. You want young goalies to play, and it doesn't benefit Crawford or the Hawks to have him sitting on the bench here in Chicago. View article at http://www.chicagoblackhawks.com/news/HawksInsider.asp? story_id=3393

Chicago signs Lalime to a One-Year Contract

Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the Blackhawks have signed goaltender Patrick Lalime to a 1-year contract worth $700,000. Lalime, 32, 6'3", 192 pound netminder appeared in 31 games last season with the St. Louis Blues posting a record of 4-18-8 with a .881 save percentage and a 3.64 goals against average. He also appeared in 14 games with the Peoria Riverman of the American Hockey League posting a 6-6-1 record with a .903 save percentage and a 2.86 goals against average. In his career, Lalime has appeared in 353 NHL games posting a record of 171 wins, 130 losses, 32 ties and 8 overtime losses while notching a 2.49 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. He was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 6th round, 156th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Lalime has played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and the St. Louis Blues during his NHL career.