It was sort of a surprise earlier in the offseason when the Chicago Blackhawks announced that they were not bringing back Corey Crawford. He showed in 2019-20 that he is still an elite goalie that can get it done in the regular season and playoffs of an NHL season. He split time with Robin Lehner which helped him out a lot so coming to a team with another really good starting goalie would probably be the best option for him.
Well, that is exactly the case with the New Jersey Devils. Crawford coming to the New Jersey Devils was almost as surprising as Chicago letting him go but it is reality. He is going to share the net with Mackenzie Blackwood and that might form one of the best goaltending duos in the league. Crawford coming to New Jersey is a massive upgrade to the “second goalie” position.
The pandemic is causing the season to start late which might force them to have a condensed schedule. That means having two goalies could really give any team an advantage. The Devils now have that which should really help them win some games. This is a young team that has a long way to go before they are a contender so having two strong netminders will really help.
Crawford has won the Stanley Cup twice as a starter with the Chicago Blackhawks. He also was simply part of that winning culture over there so bringing it to this young team is so nice. By the time he is done with the Devils, the hope is that Mackenzie Blackwood will have everything he needs to be a full-time starter all by himself. Seeing Crawford get his first game with New Jersey is certainly something to be excited about.