Confirmed with Link: Corey Crawford retires

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

this can't be true. Didn't they change the rule?

I think they did. We will have to look up details of his contract. I think it disappears.

The new CBA Memo of Understanding contains a new rule that allows a player to sign a multi-year 35+ deal that is not front loaded, and they can retire if they want. The cap hit disappears when they do.
The new CBA MOU says this:

64. 35+ Year Old Rule for Cap Counting
CBA §50.5(d)(i)(B)(5) shall have no application to a multi-year SPC that has: (1) total compensation (Player Salary and Bonuses) that is either the same as or increases from one League Year to the immediately subsequent League Year, and (2) a Signing Bonus, if any, that is payable in the first year of the SPC only.​

And the relevant CBA passage which is written in the form of a list of what does count against the salary cap:

All Player Salary and Bonuses earned in a League Year by a Player who is in the second or later year of a multi-year SPC which was signed when the Player was age 35 or older (as of June 30 prior to the League Year in which the SPC is to be effective), but which Player is not on the Club’s Active Roster, Injured Reserve, Injured Non-Roster or Non-Roster, and regardless of whether, or where, the Player is playing, except to the extent the Player is playing under his SPC in the minor leagues, in which case only the Player Salary and Bonuses in excess of $100,000 shall count towards the calculation of Averaged Club Salary ...​

Parsing out the meaning of this change: As long as the 35+ contract meets the conditions in the MOU, it won’t count fully against the cap if the player is no longer on the roster. In other words, if they’ve retired or been bought out.
Players on 35+ contracts can be bought out, despite a common belief that they cannot be. Patrick Marleau’s deal was, in fact, bought out. The salary owed is reduced according to the buyout formula, and until now, the full amount of the AAV remained on a team’s salary cap calculation for the full term of the deal unlike with other buyouts.

2020 CBA: New rules for 35+ contracts solve a few dilemmas - Pension Plan Puppets

 

[Csonked Out]

Pretty crappy thing to do less than a week before the season starts. I get you want to retire but this really screws us over from a cap and roster stand point. I hope he is healthy and enjoy retirement but kick rocks.

P.S. If this goes away, nevermind lol

 

[The 29th Pick]

I feel for the guy and I wish him all the best.

On the flip side, I can’t say I saw this specific scenario playing out but I was never a fan of this signing and now we’re f***ed with no legit 1-B option to back up Blackwood.

no worries, we'll get a backup, sign Bratt and find Nico's leg by Wednesday!
Corey said he's given all he can to the game of hockey, and he's happy and excited to be moving on to his next chapter with his family.
Sounds like he's fine, it was just "time"

 

[None Shall Pass]

 

[Azathoth]

Man I know it’s kind of a dick way to look at the situation, but it’s kinda messed up to commit to a team for multiple years, knowing how important your role is to said team (even if it’s as a 1b/backup to an up and coming goalie) with basically one foot out the door.

 

[Satans Hockey]

What a joke, he can go f*** himself.

 

[Billdo]

no worries, we'll get a backup, sign Bratt and find Nico's leg by Wednesday!
Corey said he's given all he can to the game of hockey, and he's happy and excited to be moving on to his next chapter with his family.
Sounds like he's fine, it was just "time"

I get it, he's done, but he didn't have any inkling when he signed or talked to them? It f***s us with no other realistic options besides scrubs.

 

[JrFischer54]

Then why not just go on LTIR and collect a nice paycheck?

i wonder if he did play say last year for the devils or even half the season this year for them if he would choose to retire over LTIR. My guess is he chose the retirement because he never officially really played for the devils and it wouldn't sit right. not saying it wasn't an option for him just that he probably felt he wasn't really a devil so why collect?

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

If posters did a quick search instead of over reacting that was clear.

 

[Billdo]

P.S. If this goes away, nevermind lol

no it still sucks because there's nobody worth while left because this guy decided 5 days before the season started that the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. I'm happy for anyone who can retire on a personal level but this f***s this team.

Man I know it’s kinda a dick way to look at the situation, but it’s kinda messed up to commit to a team for multiple years, knowing how important your role is to said team (even if it’s as a 1b/backup to an up and coming goalie) with basically one foot out the door.

Bingo

What a joke, f*** this guy.

That's probably too much.

 

[The 29th Pick]

I get it, he's done, but he didn't have any inkling when he signed or talked to them? It f***s us with no other realistic options besides scrubs.

who knows? maybe Fitz or even Marty said "c'mon give it a shot" and it sounded enticing, it's not easy for players to decide to leave what they know and love
when it rains it pours

 

[MNDevilsfan]

I'm perfectly willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Who knows what the story is, and even circumstances aside he isn't the first person to have second thoughts on a big life decision. Gotta do what's best for your family and yourself.

That said yeah this puts the Devils in a really difficult situation. Hope Blackwood is ready to play a lot of games.

 

[The 29th Pick]

If posters did a quick search instead of over reacting that was clear.

well...this is HF !!!

 

[Normal Devil]

I'm perfectly willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Who knows what the story is, and even circumstances aside he isn't the first person to have second thoughts on a big life decision. Gotta do what's best for your family and yourself.

That said yeah this puts the Devils in a really difficult situation. Hope Blackwood is ready to play a lot of games.

The Devils are likely going to be terrible .. no need to force MacBlack to make any more starts than was initially planned.

 

[Frozen Lake]

Best for the team he retires. As I said a few times we cant afford to have such uncertainty behind Blackwood with a lot of back to backs

though wish Crawford hadnt done this as now were left searching for a goalie a week before the season.

 

[Billdo]

who knows? maybe Fitz or even Marty said "c'mon give it a shot" and it sounded enticing, it's not easy for players to decide to leave what they know and love
when it rains it pours

I fully understand what being away from family is like and changing up the only thing you've ever known. I've done it, it's horrifying at times. On a personal level I have zero issues with him doing what he did. As a fan of this team though, it sucks in a major way for the club. Both of those things can be true.

 

[MNDevilsfan]

The Devils are likely going to be terrible .. no need to force MacBlack to make any more starts than was initially planned.

Well yeah, that is a good point.

 

[Normal Devil]

What a joke, he can go f*** himself.

I kind of agree with this ... just horrendous timing from Crawford .. basically leaving the Devils high and dry. His last few years in Chicago were riddled with lots of drama, and it continued with NJ. Bye Bye!

 

[The 29th Pick]

I fully understand what being away from family is like and changing up the only thing you've ever known. I've done it, it's horrifying at times. On a personal level I have zero issues with him doing what he did. As a fan of this team though, it sucks in a major way for the club. Both of those things can be true.

I'll be honest, I'm traumatized by everything thats happened already so this hardly phases me, if it were any other season I'd probably be flipping out.
We'll get through it, it's gonna be a bumpy ride, buckle your seat belts !

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

A lot of posters ITT telling on themselves being immature terrible people

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I kind of agree with this ... just horrendous timing from Crawford .. basically leaving the Devils high and dry. His last few years in Chicago were riddled with lots of drama, and it continued with NJ. Bye Bye!

this is insane

don't you think if he knew he didnt want to play a few months ago, he would have retired then?

some of you guys are ridiculous

 

[NJDevs26]

Man I know it’s kinda a dick way to look at the situation, but it’s kinda messed up to commit to a team for multiple years, knowing how important your role is to said team (even if it’s as a 1b/backup to an up and coming goalie) with basically one foot out the door.

It does seem pretty shabby to get to the end of camp and peace out on the season Andrew Luck style assuming there’s nothing more to this, but at least in that case he’d played a number of years there already and it was partly the Colts fault he got beat up enough to walk away.

 

[Edmonton East]

I warned you all and got chastised at the time, per usual. Some folks never learn.

This guy was 100% cooked and checked out. Anyone with eyes could see it. Which does make it concerning our GM signed him in the first place.

 

[Billdo]

I'll be honest, I'm traumatized by everything thats happened already so this hardly phases me, if it were any other season I'd probably be flipping out.
We'll get through it, it's gonna be a bumpy ride, buckle your seat belts !

So you're saying "Enjoy the ride" lol

 

[Frozen Lake]

this is insane

don't you think if he knew he didnt want to play a few months ago, he would have retired then?

some of you guys are ridiculous

Its not all that irrational to think he was debating retiring but entertained a deal and trying to play anyway

when you are on the verge of ending something you spent almost your entire Life working towards, it isnt going to be a simple decision.

We see it in sports almost every year, a few guys trying to play but end up retiring after barely playing or not at all. Its a very tough choice to make