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Osgood to the rescue? Seems unlikely, don't you think?
I view Chris Osgood as goaltending's version of a cat. That's because his career seems to have nine lives.
Just when you think his career is done, Ozzie shows you that it isn't.
We're about to see if that is still true. Osgood is set to return from injury. He's played just 11 games this season. Last season, he played in only 23 games and had a below .500 record - the only of his career. He is 38 years old and in the final year of his contract.
The Red Wings' No.1 goalie is Jimmy Howard. He has more than 30 victories the last two years, but has come under fire lately with the ever-fickle Red Wing fans because his goals against average and save percentage are far down the NHL's statistical list. Of course, many of these fans are the same ones who don't think Osgood - despite credentials which strongly suggest otherwise - isn't a Hall of Famer.
It's like the Red Wings' goalie never wins, but is only a product of his team's superior talent and tradition. Doesn't matter if, like lately, many of the Red Wings stars are struggling to score goals (Henrik Zetterberg, for example, has just two goals in his last 26 games).
All of a sudden, they want to see Ozzie in the postseason. They claim Osgood has done it before, while Howard is an unproven commodity.
While I have vigorously defended Osgood in the past, I wouldn't hold my breath right now expecting him to ride in on a white charger and be a better option than Howard for the postseason.
Ozzie has been off too long. He hasn't been that effective when he has played. I still look at it like it will Jimmy Howard - or bust - for the Red Wings in the postseason.
Just when you think his career is done, Ozzie shows you that it isn't.
We're about to see if that is still true. Osgood is set to return from injury. He's played just 11 games this season. Last season, he played in only 23 games and had a below .500 record - the only of his career. He is 38 years old and in the final year of his contract.
The Red Wings' No.1 goalie is Jimmy Howard. He has more than 30 victories the last two years, but has come under fire lately with the ever-fickle Red Wing fans because his goals against average and save percentage are far down the NHL's statistical list. Of course, many of these fans are the same ones who don't think Osgood - despite credentials which strongly suggest otherwise - isn't a Hall of Famer.
It's like the Red Wings' goalie never wins, but is only a product of his team's superior talent and tradition. Doesn't matter if, like lately, many of the Red Wings stars are struggling to score goals (Henrik Zetterberg, for example, has just two goals in his last 26 games).
All of a sudden, they want to see Ozzie in the postseason. They claim Osgood has done it before, while Howard is an unproven commodity.
While I have vigorously defended Osgood in the past, I wouldn't hold my breath right now expecting him to ride in on a white charger and be a better option than Howard for the postseason.
Ozzie has been off too long. He hasn't been that effective when he has played. I still look at it like it will Jimmy Howard - or bust - for the Red Wings in the postseason.
Labels: Chris Osgood Jimmy Howard
posted by Pat Caputo at
12:30 PM
4 Comments:
I agree that Howard is the better goaltender, and this state is unnecessarily harsh on goalies.
However I still don't think Osgood is worthy of the Hall of Fame. If a goalie is never one of the top 5 goaltenders in the league for his entire career, I don't care how many stats he piles up. He's not Hall worthy, IMO. And honestly I think he was only rarely even in the top 10 at his position in his career.
Pat, I would like to see Osgood get 4 starts as well in the remaining regular season games. If Howard has bad stats and fails to win the first two playoff games, then Babcock should replace him as he did back in 2008 (when he pulled Dom and rode Ozzie to the Cup).
Do you think Brendan Smith will make the Wings roster next year? He is supposed to be a great skater and I hope Lidstrom sticks around long enough to be his D partner and show him the ropes.
Michael C,
Ozzie has been among the top goalies in his career. He's played in all star games, won multiple cups, been among the leaders in wins and other statistical area. Numbers strongly back him up. He was a second-team All star one year, has won the Jennings Trophy twice for fewest goals allowed and has a career goals against average lower than both Glenn Hall and Terry Sawchuk. That's just a few things.
Caputo
Anonymous,
It depends on Smith. He's exceptionally talented, but it's my understanding he is also very immature and needs to grow up to harness that talent. He has had a good transitional year from to pros this season at Grand Rapids, but the Red Wings won't bring players up until they are over-ready. Kindle is a classic example. And even now he is having trouble getting a lot of minutes with Rafalski back.
Caputo
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