The New Jersey Devils thought they might have a contender on their hands last season. Almost all of the hype had to do with the goalie tandem. Mackenzie Blackwood was coming off the best season of his young career, and he looked like a legitimate top goalie in this league. If only his defense could come for him when he needs them. Cory Schneider could never find his form again, and the Devils felt the only route forward was to buy out his contract. So, the Devils had to get themselves a veteran goalie.
They ended up paying for one of the better goalies on the free agency market. Corey Crawford signed a two-year deal for a total of $9 million. The signing was universally praised and it had some national media people predicting the Devils could compete for a playoff spot. It was wonderful to actually get noticed despite years of ineptitude.
Then, it came crumbling down in what felt like an instant. Crawford retired from the game of hockey instead of playing for the Devils. It didn’t seem like it was injury related. It was just a loss of passion or pain from his Chicago Blackhawks pushing him out. Either way, the Devils were left in a bad position. They had Scott Wedgewood, who had the rare great performance, and the Devils added Eric Comrie and Aaron Dell. Either way, it was nowhere near what they would have had with Crawford.
Most Devils fans haven’t thought about Crawford in a long time. It’s been almost six months since he retired. He hasn’t really made any media appearances since he made the decision. However, his name came back up with “New Jersey Devils” next to it, giving a new reminder to what could have been.
The league has identified 18 players that are exempt from the Expansion Draft due to Injury
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) June 21, 2021
All 18 players are displayed below
Keep in mind pending UFAs who've already announced retirement are included as their contracts don't expire until Free Agencyhttps://t.co/DP5mKUfZ26 pic.twitter.com/wAx63gC1hs
With the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft coming up, 18 players were placed on the exempt list due to injury or retirement. Players we haven’t seen in years like Marian Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg, and Marian Gaborik are on the list. Then, recent situations like Crawford and Henrik Lundqvist also ended up on the list.
Crawford’s “legacy” in New Jersey probably won’t come up again until someone asks him what happened. It might happen this offseason or he might avoid talking about it for years. This should be the last time he’s tied to the franchise for a little while.