Corey Crawford

Lore & Background

Crawford played his junior hockey with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he set franchise records for lowest goals against average (2.47 in 2004–05), most wins (35 in 2003–04), and tied for most shutouts in a season (six in 2004–05). He was twice named to the QMJHL Second All-Star team. His No. 29 was retired by the Wildcats in 2023. After being drafted, Crawford spent five seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Norfolk Admirals and Rockford IceHogs, compiling a 135–98–13 record, 2.78 GAA, .908 save percentage, and eight shutouts in 255 games. The IceHogs retired his No. 29 in 2024.

Crawford made his NHL debut in relief for the Blackhawks on January 22, 2006, stopping all seven shots he faced. He recorded his first career win and shutout on March 5, 2008, in a 3–0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. After serving as an emergency goaltender during the 2009 playoffs, Crawford became the team's starter during the 2010–11 season, replacing Marty Turco. That season he posted a 33–18–6 record with a 2.30 GAA and .917 save percentage, and set a rookie eight-game win streak. He was named to the NHL All-Star Rookie Team. In the 2011 playoffs, he recorded assists in two games, becoming the first Blackhawks goaltender since Dominik Hašek in 1991 to do so in a playoff game, and posted a 36-save shutout in game five against the Vancouver Canucks.

Reader's Guide

Corey Crawford's legacy is defined by his two Stanley Cup championships with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015, during which he also won the William M. Jennings Trophy each year. He played his entire NHL career with Chicago, from his debut in 2006 through the 2019–20 season, and was a key figure in the team's goaltending during its modern dynasty. Crawford's path to stardom was gradual: after five seasons in the AHL, he emerged as the Blackhawks' starter in 2010–11, replacing veteran Marty Turco, and quickly set rookie records, including an eight-game win streak. His performance in the 2011 playoffs, including a 36-save shutout and two assists, demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure. Despite early playoff exits in 2011 and 2012, Crawford backstopped Chicago to two Stanley Cup titles. His consistency and durability made him a reliable presence in net, and his number 29 was retired by both the Moncton Wildcats and the Rockford IceHogs, honoring his contributions at the junior and minor-league levels. Crawford's career is a testament to perseverance and steady development, culminating in multiple championships and individual honors.

Did You Know?

• Crawford's nickname 'Crow' was used by teammates and fans.
• He holds the Moncton Wildcats record for lowest goals against average (2.47) in a season.
• Crawford recorded his first career playoff assist on April 19, 2011, becoming the first Blackhawks goaltender since Dominik Hašek in 1991 to do so.
• His No. 29 was retired by the Rockford IceHogs on February 12, 2024.

The Grind: Five Years in the AHL

Few NHL goaltenders endure a half-decade in the minors before earning a permanent spot, yet Corey Crawford did exactly that. After the Blackhawks selected him 52nd overall in the 2003 entry draft, he spent his first five professional seasons shuttling between the Norfolk Admirals and the Rockford IceHogs in the American Hockey League. Over 255 games from 2005 to 2010, he posted a 135-98-13 record as a starter with a 2.78 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and eight shutouts. His NHL debut arrived on January 22, 2006, when he relieved Adam Munro in the third period against Minnesota, making seven saves without surrendering a goal. His first start the following month against St. Louis ended in a 6-5 shootout loss. Brief recalls in 2008 and 2009, triggered by Nikolai Khabibulin's injuries, gave him fleeting glimpses of the big stage, including a 3-0 shutout over Anaheim and a 45-of-47 performance against Detroit. In the 2009 playoffs, he entered the Western Conference Finals against the defending champion Red Wings, stopping six of seven shots before being replaced. Each appearance reinforced what Chicago already knew: the patient kid from Moncton was building toward something bigger.

Junior Foundations and the Moncton Legacy

Before he ever laced up a Blackhawks sweater, Corey Crawford was already making his mark in Quebec. After playing midget AAA for the Gatineau Intrépides, he joined the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL, where he would leave an indelible imprint. In the 2003-04 playoffs, Crawford anchored the Wildcats past the Rimouski Océanic in the semi-finals before falling to the Gatineau Olympiques in the President's Cup final. Across his junior tenure, he set franchise benchmarks that still stand: a 2.47 goals-against average in 2004-05, 35 wins in 2003-04, and six shutouts in a single season, a mark he shares with Simon Lajeunesse. The league recognized his consistency by naming him to the QMJHL Second All-Star team in both 2003-04 and 2004-05. Decades later, the Wildcats honored that dedication by retiring his No. 29 on November 24, 2023. For a player whose entire professional identity would become inseparable from one NHL franchise, those junior years in Moncton provided the foundation, the confidence, and the early proof that a quiet, reliable goaltender could carry a team to the brink of a championship.

Claiming the Starting Job and the Championship Run

The 2010 off-season reshaped Chicago's goaltending room. Antti Niemi departed for San Jose and Cristobal Huet left for the Swiss National League, leaving Crawford behind veteran Marty Turco. But Turco's role quickly diminished, and Crawford seized the starting role early in 2010-11. His breakout arrived in mid-January, when he recorded back-to-back shutouts, a 5-0 win over the New York Islanders on January 9 and a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on January 12, amassing a 176:09 scoreless streak that was the longest by a Blackhawks netminder since Tony Esposito in 1971-72. A subsequent eight-game winning streak from February 20 through March 5 set a new rookie record, falling just one win short of Glenn Hall's team mark. On March 28, a 3-2 overtime victory over Detroit brought his 30th win of the season, a milestone no Blackhawks goaltender had reached since Jocelyn Thibault. By the time the 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup banners joined the United Center rafters, Crawford had also claimed the William M. Jennings Trophy on both occasions, cementing his status as the franchise's defining netminder of that era.

One Team, One Number, One Nickname

Corey Crawford's story is, above all, a story of singular loyalty. Born on December 31, 1984, in Canada, he was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2003 and never wore another NHL jersey. From his 2006 debut through the 2019-20 season, every game, every recall, every championship celebration happened under the same black-and-red banner. Teammates and fans gave him the nickname 'Crow,' a moniker that stuck for over a decade and became shorthand for the dependable, no-frills goaltender who anchored the team's back end. His two Stanley Cups in 2013 and 2015, paired with the William M. Jennings Trophy on both occasions, represent the summit of that devotion. Even after his playing days ended, the recognition continued: the Rockford IceHogs retired his No. 29 on February 12, 2024, following the Moncton Wildcats' similar tribute in November 2023. In an era of constant player movement, Crawford's career stands as a rare, complete arc—drafted, developed, and celebrated by a single organization.

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