Corey Crawford, New Jersey Devils goalkeeper, is being fired indefinitely for personal reasons, the team announced Friday.
Crawford hasn’t practiced since the training camp opened for the team last week. His absences were first described as “maintenance days” by coach Lindy Ruff before the team said it took personal days on Wednesday and Thursday.
“We have to give him his space,” Travis Zajac, a devil veteran, told reporters Thursday. “Obviously no one knows himself better than him, so obviously we want him to be part of this team, but I think in the future he has to make that decision. I think he can take all the time he needs. We want he here “.
Crawford, 36, signed a two-year deal with the Devils this past low season with an average annual value of $ 3.9 million. He had been the Chicago Blackhawks ’starting goalkeeper since 2010-11, and helped them to two Stanley Cup championships, but the team decided not to sign him again this offseason.
The Devils needed a veteran goalie after buying Cory Schneider, and Crawford had to share the net with 24-year-old Mackenzie Blackwood, who re-signed a three-year, $ 8.4 million contract before start the training camp. .
New Jersey has three more goalkeepers on their camp list: Scott Wedgewood (24 NHL experience games), Gilles Senn (two NHL experience games) and Evan Cormier (0 NHL experience games) ).
Crawford finished his Blackhawks career ranked third in the franchise’s history with 260 wins in the race, just behind Tony Esposito and Glen Hall. Crawford is the leader of the Blackhawks franchise in postseason wins (52) and is the only goalkeeper in the history of the Stanley multiple cup team.