Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman made the shocking announcement that two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Corey Crawford would not be re-signed by Chicago on Thursday.
Things became even more real, or bizarre, Friday night when the unrestricted free agent signed a two-year deal with the New Jersey Devils. The contract carries an average annual value of $3.9 million.
On Thursday, the Devils placed goalie Cory Schneider on unconditional waivers with the intent to buyout the remaining two years of his contract.
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Crawford, 35, backstopped the Hawks to two Stanley Cup championships in 2013 and 2015 after being selected by the Blackhawks in the second round (No. 52 overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft.
His 52 postseason wins are the most in franchise history and his 260 regular season wins rank third. Crawford is the only goalie in Hawks history to win multiple Stanley Cups.
Crawford went 260-162-53 with a 2.45 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and 26 shutouts in 488 games across 14 NHL seasons. In 96 postseason contests, he went 52-42 with a 2.38 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and five shutouts.