Selected by Chicago in the second round (No. 52) of the 2003 NHL Draft, Crawford is 260-162-53 with a 2.45 GAA, .918 save percentage and 26 shutouts in 488 games (474 starts) in 13 NHL seasons and 52-42 with a 2.38 GAA, .918 save percentage and five shutouts in 96 postseason games. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015.
Crawford, who has played all 13 of his NHL seasons with the Blackhawks, said it was difficult to leave Chicago but he is looking forward to playing in New Jersey.
"Emotions were all over the place," he said. "It was kind of a quick turnaround. Obviously, I was pretty devastated to get the news about not returning to Chicago. That's all I've known for my whole career after being drafted in 2003. They just wanted to go a different way. This turned into excitement, and [New] Jersey was very interested. I talked to them the most, and it's a team that has a ton of young skill. They're up and coming, and it's a team that I'm excited to be a part of."
New Jersey (28-29-12, .493 points percentage) finished 14th in the 16-team Eastern Conference last season, with 23-year-old Mackenzie Blackwood making 43 starts and taking over as its No. 1 goalie from Cory Schneider, who was placed on waivers by the Devils on Thursday for the purpose of a buyout. Blackwood was 22-14-9 with a 2.77 GAA and .915 save percentage.
Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said Crawford's history of success was what attracted him most.
"He's a champion. He's a winner. He's got the pedigree," Fitzgerald said Sunday. "He adds experience, can be a great mentor to Mackenzie. They're going to be push each other to be the best goalie they can be. We believe we've got a great tandem in the League. Corey, the way he's played in the playoffs particularly and prior to that, we feel really lucky that we have this tandem going into the season for a couple years. But most importantly, it's the championship swagger that he has, something that I felt we needed. Bring people in who have won and understand it. Just through being around players like Corey, it can rub off on our younger players."
He said he expects Crawford and Blackwood to make an effective tandem.
"We believe Mackenzie is going to pick up where he left off, and we all know Corey Crawford's career and track record. He's a winner. My main goal was to make us better in the goal with MacKenzie continuing to grow and someone who can support him and give us a chance to be in every game. That's all you ask for is to be in every game. … With that tandem, we believe we have a chance."
Crawford said he was impressed with Blackwood during the few times he's seen him.
"From what I remember, obviously we haven't played them that much being in the other conference, but I was really surprised at Blackwood, how great a young goaltender he is," he said. "And they've got a ton of skill up front. [Defenseman P.K.] Subban is still a great player. It's a group that I feel really confident with going to and trying to help win more games. I think they're very underrated and things change pretty quick in the NHL. The [Blackhawks] did it, they had a young group too and they got young pretty fast. [The Colorado Avalanche] did the same thing. It's a group that can definitely do the same thing."
Crawford missed 80 games during the previous two seasons because of concussions. He also missed all but the final day of Chicago's Return to Play training camp this season after testing positive for COVID-19.
He had split time with goalie Robin Lehner, who was signed by Chicago as a free agent July 1, 2019, until Feb. 24, when the Blackhawks traded Lehner to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who then traded him to the Vegas Golden Knights. Crawford started the final 10 regular-season games for the Blackhawks and was 6-4-0.
"I never really had to be that vocal in Chicago with the leaders we had," Crawford said. "So I'm going to have to maybe try to get used to that, but I'm sure there are some guys in [New] Jersey that have that role already. I'm more of a quiet guy, just do my thing, go out there, work hard and compete as hard as I can. I just want to help [New] Jersey win hockey games. The main goal is a championship wherever it is, and now that I'm there, that's the main focus."
NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen and staff writer Tom Gulitti contributed to this report
