NEWSLETTER
Well that’s a surprise. And a bummer.
After signing a two-year contract with the New Jersey Devils in October, former Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford is officially retiring from hockey.
Here’s the announcement from the NHL Players Association …
Corey Crawford has officially announced his retirement from the NHL following 10 NHL seasons and 488 regular-season games.
"Crow" leaves the game with an impressive resume as a two-time #StanleyCup champion: https://t.co/aagQepg6wP pic.twitter.com/oe7HoJJOb2
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) January 9, 2021
And from Crawford, himself …
Corey Crawford’s statement pic.twitter.com/gRLhxY1yBA
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) January 9, 2021
Crawford had been away from his new team lately, missing a total of five practices for “personal reasons,” before reports of him taking an indefinite leave of absence surfaced yesterday.
Here’s some of what Mario wrote last time for context:
Crawford was participating in the first two days of Devils camp on December 31 and January 1, but has been out since. The former two-time Stanley Cup Champion is not a stranger to cloudy absences, having missed significant portions of seasons over his years with the Blackhawks. Whether they were due to injury and to personal reasons, though, Crawford always returned to the ice and put his best self forward.
The 36-year-old Crawford had just joined the Devils on a two-year, $3.9M AAV contract after being let go by the Blackhawks this past offseason. Crawford is the only goaltender in Blackhawks franchise history to win multiple Stanley Cups, and ranks third among franchise goalies in wins (260), games played (488), and has the highest save-percentage (.918) among goalies to play 100 or more games with Chicago. Obviously, we hope all is well and to see him back out on the ice soon, Blackhawks or not.
We’ll have to see if we learn any additional information about his decision, but that’s the news for now. When the time is right, I’ll let Mario do the farewell thing, recapping Crawford’s long and largely successful career.
Corey Crawford #Blackhawks career
2010-11 All-Rookie
2x All-Star
2x Jennings Trophy winner
2x Stanley Cups
260 wins (3rd all-time)
52 playoff wins (most all-time)
12,778 saves (3rd all-time)
26 shutouts (7th all-time)
5 playoff shutouts (T2nd all-time)Put #50 in the UC rafters! pic.twitter.com/OoC7nv9KFo
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 9, 2021
It only feels appropriate that we appreciate Corey Crawford’s greatness today #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/H5GlDRveUx
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 9, 2021
