Just one day after taking an indefinite leave of absence from the New Jersey Devils, goalie Corey Crawford announced his retirement from the NHL on Saturday.
Crawford said in a statement through the NHLPA that he wanted to continue his career but believes he has given all he can to the game and that it is time to retire.
“I have been fortunate to have had a long career playing professional hockey for a living,” said Crawford in the statement.
“I wanted to continue my career, but believe I’ve given all I can to the game of hockey, and I have decided that it is time to retire. I would like to thank the New Jersey Devils organization for understanding and supporting my decision. I would like to thank the Chicago Blackhawks organization for giving me the chance to live my childhood dream. I am proud to have been part of winning two Stanley Cups in Chicago. Thank you to all of my teammates and coaches throughout the years. Also, thank you to the fans who make this great game what it is. I am happy and excited to move on to the next chapter of my life with my family.”
This ends a 10-year career that saw Crawford win 260 regular season games and two Stanley Cups as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
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His time in Chicago came to an end following the 2019-20 season when he was not re-signed by the team, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent. It was there that he signed a two-year contract with the Devils where it was expected he would form a strong goalie duo with MacKenzie Blackwood.
During his time with the Blackhawks Crawford was consistently one of the league’s most underappreciated goalies and an often times overlooked member of that mini-dynasty run in Chicago.
Overall, he appeared in 488 regular season games with a 260-162-53 record, a .918 save percentage, and 26 shutouts.
In 96 playoff games he finished with a 52-42 record, five shutouts, and two Stanley Cups.
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.