The 36-year-old goalkeeper, who won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015, took an indefinite vacation from the New Jersey Devils on Friday for personal reasons on Friday, after missing five consecutive training sessions during training camp.
“I was lucky to have a long career playing professional hockey for a lifetime,” Crawford said. “I wanted to continue my career, but I think I gave everything I could to the game of hockey and I decided it was time to retire. I would like to thank the New Jersey Devils for understanding and supporting my decision. I would like to thank the Chicago Blackhawks for giving me the chance to live my childhood dream. “
Crawford agreed to a $ 7.8 million two-year deal with the Devils on Oct. 11 after spending 13 seasons with the Blackhawks in 2005-2020. He was 260-162-53 with an average of 2.45 goals, a save percentage of .918 and 26 shutouts in 488 regular-season games and ranks third on the all-time winning list in Chicago.
He was 52-42 with a 2.38 GAA, .918 percentage and five blocks in 96 Stanley Cup games. Crawford’s 52 playoff wins are a record for the Blackhawks.
“Corey has an unforgettable place in our organization, in the hearts of our fans and in the history of sports in Chicago,” Blackhawks said in a statement. “We congratulate Corey on his career as a Hall of Fame player – one we celebrate with him today as a member of the Blackhawks family forever.
“‘Crow’ is not only one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the Chicago Blackhawks franchise, but he has also been a mainstay in our local community throughout his career. … the city of Chicago, two Stanley Cups. We wish him, his wife, Kristy and the sons of Cooper and Camden nothing more than the best in this next chapter. ”
Blackhawks before Patrick Kane, who played with Crawford for 13 seasons, said Crawford’s contributions far exceeded stopping the puck.
“He was an incredible player and obviously a lot of our championships here, a lot of the organization for the last 10-15 years,” Kane said on Saturday. “He’s a great guy to be around, he always seemed to be in a good mood, he always competed in practice. He only helped me improve in practice. Obviously, I still feel like he’s playing at a very high level, going back to last year. I think we just wish him all the best, obviously we’ll have conversations and talk to him, but sometimes there are things bigger than hockey and we wish him all the best in the future.
“He always had the attitude that he wanted to win another championship and he felt he could do it here. You always appreciated his level of confidence and he wanted to play. He was a player, you know? We’re talking about his uniform behavior.” but he stood up for those great games and shone in those big games too. “
Crawford, who missed 80 games during the previous two seasons due to contusions, was 16-20-3 with a 2.77 GAA percentage, a .917 save percentage and a single spot in 40 games (39 starts) last season.
“I’m proud to have won two Stanley Cups in Chicago,” Crawford said. “Thank you to all my teammates and coaches over the years. I also thank the fans who make this wonderful game what it is. I am happy and excited to move on to the next chapter of my life with my family.”
NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers contributed to this report
Video: Top 10 Corey Crawford savings from 2019-20