5 Reasons We Will Always Love Corey Crawford

Former Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford is getting his day in the sun although it is not happening in Chicago just yet.

The Hawks AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, are retiring his number and inducting him into the team's Ring of Honor on Saturday.

Hopefully, he gets to see his No. 50 hung in the United Center rafters. We are talking about the only starting goaltender in franchise history with two Stanley Cup Championships. Although it will be interesting to see if the Blackhawks will give him that honor as he meets the years played requirement, but he never won the Vezina Trophy or is a long shot to make the Hall of Fame.

He should still get number retirement consideration since he made two All-Star teams and helped the Hawks win two more Stanley Cups during the 2010s, the golden age of Blackhawks hockey.

Crawford's numbers could have been a bit better had injuries not robbed him of more ice time during his final three seasons. He won 260 games for the Hawks with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. They may have been better goaltenders in the NHL during his time, but Crawford was good enough to win 52 playoff games.

That is why he will always be loved by the Chicago Blackhawks faithful, especially for these five reasons...

His emergence in the 2010-2011 season kept the Blackhawks' dynasty hopes alive.

Antti Niemi did just enough in goal to help the Hawks win the 2010 Stanley Cup. The salary cap crunch the team was under led to the franchise letting Niemi leave in the offseason. The front office thought Marty Turco could be a suitable replacement during the reboot. Instead, he was a flop.

Thankfully, Crawford was ready to take over in net. He proved to be worth the seven-year wait as he started 55 games that season and finished 33-18-6. What was more impressive was how good he was in the 2011 playoffs as the Blackhawks nearly upset the Vancouver Canucks in the first round.

He made 202 saves on 218 shot attempts in that series. Crawford was brilliant in Game 7 and if Chris Campoli had not made that infamous turnover in overtime that left Crawford high and dry, the Hawks might have won that series.

Crawford gave us one last great moment in the 2020 playoffs.

The pandemic shortened the 2019-20 regular season. The NHL decided to have an expanded playoffs later in the year and that allowed the Hawks to get into the qualifying round as the 12th-seed.

Crawford may have had a save percentage under .900 in that round, but he made enough saves to help the Hawks pull off the stunning upset over the Edmonton Oilers to advance to the first round.

The Hawks were overmatched against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, but Crawford did everything he could to keep Chicago in the series. He was outstanding in Game 4 where he gave up just one goal to stave off elimination. Although, the Knights eliminated the Hawks in Game 5.

That was it for Crawford's career with the Hawks as the team decided not to re-sign him in the offseason. He signed with the New Jersey Devils but surprisingly retired without ever playing a game for them.

Crawford gave us everything.

One reason Crawford has not been in the public eye much is he is still dealing with the aches and pains of his career. He told the Athletic's Scott Powers that his back is messed up to the point he will need surgery.

He was always willing to do whatever it took to get on the ice. He may not have been the most talented, but he gave this city everything he had. We got some great moments of joy in part of what he did in goal.

Yes, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, and Duncan Keith were bigger stars and are sure-fire Hall of Famers. They needed a goalie to play great enough to win two more cups and that was what Corey Crawford did.