CAM’S WARD ALWAYS OPEN FOR DELIA
Veteran has been ‘like a rock to me,’ rookie says
NEWARK, N.J. — It would be easy for Cam Ward to resent Collin Delia. Normal, really.
Ward came to the Blackhawks to be Corey Crawford’s backup, expecting spot starts and knowing he was a contingency if anything terrible happened. Shortly after Crawford went down with another concussion, the Hawks brought up a 24-year-old rookie who immediately jumped on the job.
Ward, a 14-year veteran with a Stanley Cup ring, never bristled at Delia’s arrival. He embraced a mentor role and enjoys the kid’s success even as it keeps him on the bench.
“As much as I can help ‘Deals,’ I’m more than happy to do so,” Ward said. “I’ve been very fortunate to have played a long time, and I’d love to share my experiences and try to help someone else be able to do the same.
“A lot of this game is about opportunities, and ‘Deals’ is getting one.”
Delia started the last three games, an 0-1-2 stretch for the Hawks, and coach Jeremy Colliton prefers to give him an occasional break to resettle himself. There’s a decent chance he’ll split games Monday at the Devils and Thursday at the Rangers between the goalies.
Delia has a team-best .932 save percentage and 2.70 goals-against average in seven starts. Ward is at .909 and 2.80 in five games since Crawford went on injured reserve.
With Crawford out indefinitely and Ward on a one-year contract, this might be Delia’s audition to win the job long term. Not only has he played well, he has shown the right disposition and approach. He’s incredibly even-keeled for a rookie and puts in extra time tightening up weaknesses.
He also recognizes that Ward is an asset. “He’s been like a rock for me,” Delia said. “He has so much experience, and he’s a calming presence, not only for myself but the guys, as well.
“I try to be a sponge around him and absorb everything he has to say. There’s a lot to learn from him.”
The dynamic is unusual outside of sports. Why don’t these guys hate each other? The logistics of their arrangement make it so that success for one ultimately costs the other. It’s telling that Ward refers to Delia as a “partner.”
He thought back to his other partners, older goalies such as John Grahame, Manny Legace and Brian Boucher who didn’t mind him peppering them with questions.
No dramatic moment occurred in which Ward whispered just the right thing to Delia and it altered the course of history. Colliton never steered Delia toward the old sage. It’s more subtle.
They talk shop, and they ask each other’s opinions. Ward believes he can learn from Delia. One message that stuck was an overarching philosophy Ward shared.
“About being an every-day player,” Delia said. “It’s not good enough just to play one good game. You have to put together a string of games. You have to be consistent if you want to play in this league for a long time.”
Delia has repeated some version of that line to the media several times. That’s where it came from.
Part of the goaltender’s code is to not offer unsolicited advice — “Got to be real careful because you don’t want to throw him off,” Ward said — so he’s silent unless Delia comes to him.
Ward gives him space. He sits two lockers away from Delia, a wealth of wisdom available to him at all times. Ward still wants to play, still has something to prove, but he’s invested in his young partner.
It’ll be meaningful if Delia grows into a star and gets everything Ward has enjoyed and more. As he nears retirement, this could be part of Ward’s legacy.
“He’s got a ton of hockey left in him and a bright future,” Ward said. “If I can help push him and help support him, I want to do that.”