Christopher John Osgood (born November 26, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a Detroit Red Wings studio analyst and part-time color commentator for FanDuel Sports Network Detroit. He won three Stanley Cup championships in his career, all with the Red Wings, his first as the backup goaltender, and his last two as the starting goaltender. Between the four Stanley Cups Detroit won between 1997 and 2008, Osgood only missed the 2002 Stanley Cup championship. He is ranked 13th in wins in NHL regular season history with 401.[1]
Osgood spent the first part of his 17-year NHL career with the Red Wings, then the New York Islanders and the St. Louis Blues before returning to Detroit in 2005. Osgood was known in Detroit by his nicknames "Osgogs," chanted by the crowd after a big save, and "The Wizard of Oz."[2]
He was the last NHL goalie to wear a traditional player's helmet/cage combo instead of the newer one piece goalie mask[3][4] until Rick DiPietro briefly wore one of Osgood's in 2011, after he was injured in a fight with Brent Johnson.[5] He is also one of only 14 goaltenders in NHL history to have scored a goal, and one of only nine to have scored by shooting the puck directly into the opponent's net (not an "own goal"), on March 6, 1996 versus the Hartford Whalers.
Playing career
Chris Osgood was drafted 54th overall by the Red Wings in the third round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft and made his debut during the 1993–94 season.
Rookie year
Osgood became the fourth goaltender to man the crease for Detroit that season alongside Tim Cheveldae, Vincent Riendeau, and Peter Ing. Cheveldae, the team's primary starter, and a former All-Star, along with Dallas Drake, was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for veteran goaltender Bob Essensa and defenceman Sergei Bautin. Essensa did not have a strong showing in a 13-game stint at the end of the regular season, and Osgood was named the primary goaltender for the playoffs. The San Jose Sharks defeated the heavily favored Red Wings in seven games. The most memorable scene of the series occurred in the deciding game. With the game tied 2–2 late in the third period, Osgood went to clear a puck around the boards, but it landed on Sharks forward Jamie Baker's stick, who then scored the winning goal.[6] Overtaken by remorse at his mistake, the young goaltender wept at his stall following the game.
Following the season, Detroit management felt the team needed a strong veteran goaltender with Stanley Cup playoff experience. In the summer of 1994, the Red Wings traded defenceman Steve Chiasson to the Calgary Flames for goaltender Mike Vernon, who had previously helped the Flames to the Stanley Cup title in 1989.
The next season, Osgood and Vernon shared starting goaltender duties in the regular season. Still, when the playoffs began, virtually all the playing time went to Vernon, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy. In the end, Osgood had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup as the Red Wings swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games to win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years.
After the 1997 Cup win, Vernon was traded to the San Jose Sharks, making Osgood Detroit's number-one goaltender. Again, the Red Wings advanced to the Stanley Cup finals and defeated the Washington Capitals in another four-game sweep to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
On April 1, 1998, he was in a goalie fight with Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy. Roy fought with Vernon the previous year on March 26, 1997.
Osgood remained Detroit's primary goaltender until the summer of 2001, working alongside Ken Wregget and Manny Legacé before being put on waivers and picked up by the New York Islanders.
Islander years
In the summer of 2001, the Red Wings acquired goaltender Dominik Hašek, a six-time Vezina Trophy winner, from the Buffalo Sabres. After numerous attempts to trade Osgood, the Red Wings left him unprotected in the waiver draft, and the Islanders claimed him on September 28, 2001. Initially, Osgood wore the red pads he'd worn the previous year with the Red Wings before eventually changing his equipment to the blue of the Islanders.
Osgood split playing time with Garth Snow for the 2001–2002 season and helped the Islanders to a playoff berth, where they lost a seven-game series to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Osgood split time with both Snow and Rick DiPietro for the 2002–2003 season before being traded to the St. Louis Blues on March 11, 2003, along with a third-round pick in the 2003 NHL draft (which would be Konstantin Barulin) for Justin Papineau and a second-round pick in the 2003 draft (Jeremy Colliton).
Stint in St. Louis
For the remainder of the 2002–2003 season and the entire 2003–2004 season, Osgood remained the primary goaltender for the St. Louis Blues. Although Osgood posted winning records for both seasons, the Blues did not advance past the playoff quarterfinals, losing to the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks, respectively. St. Louis did not renew Osgood's contract before the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement, and he became a free agent.
Return to Detroit
On August 8, 2005, Detroit returned Osgood with a one-year, $800,000 contract. He was initially set to compete for the starting job with Manny Legace but suffered a groin tear and did not play when the season started. Osgood was assigned to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL) on a conditioning assignment. After posting a 2–1 record in three games, Osgood returned to Detroit to work in a goaltending tandem with Legace again.
Osgood and the Red Wings perform a drill in practice before a game against the Los Angeles Kings on March 9, 2007.
Osgood also worked with rookie goaltenders Jimmy Howard and Joey MacDonald while Legacé recovered from knee injuries in late 2005. During the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs, Osgood injured his groin preparing for Game 4 of the first round against the Edmonton Oilers. Osgood missed the remainder of the series, and the Red Wings post-season was over after 6 games against the Oilers.
On July 1, 2006, Osgood re-signed with the Red Wings to a two-year, $1.8 million USD contract. He then shared goaltending duties with Hašek, who also returned for another stint with the Red Wings. Though Hašek was expected to get slightly more playing time than Osgood throughout the regular season, it was expected that the goaltending tandem would have shared most of the playing time, with MacDonald expected to be their backup. However, Osgood suffered a fractured hand in practice, placing him on the injured reserve while MacDonald stepped up as the number 2 goaltender in Osgood's leave.
Osgood returned to playing by the end of December. Due to Osgood's injuries and the aging Hašek's ability to remain healthy throughout the season, Osgood ended up assuming the backup role for Hašek as opposed to sharing playing time.
The 2007–08 season served as a return to form for Osgood. Osgood and Hašek remained Detroit's goaltending tandem for the 2007–08 season. While Osgood was expected to be the backup goaltender, Hašek struggled at the beginning of the season and subsequently became injured. Osgood assumed the starting role while Hašek was injured and put up superior numbers. As of April 30, 2008, Osgood ranked 1st in the NHL in GAA with 2.09 during the regular season, ranked 16th in Save Percentage with 0.914 and has an impressive 27–9–4 record. That performance earned him both a 3 year/$4.5M contract extension with the Red Wings and an appearance at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game. With Hašek healthy and getting back into his stride, Detroit chose to alternate goaltenders instead of designating either goaltender as the backup.
After Hašek performed poorly in Games 3 and 4 of their 2008 first round series with the Nashville Predators, Red Wings coach Mike Babcock decided to pull him in favor of Osgood midway through Game 4 and named him the starter for game 5 and the rest of the playoffs. With Osgood in goal, the Red Wings won their next nine playoff games in a row, defeating the Predators and sweeping the Colorado Avalanche as well as dealing the Dallas Stars a three-game deficit. Though the Stars battled back, winning their next two games, Osgood shone in game 6, stopping all but one shot in a game riddled with Red Wings penalties, sending them to the Stanley Cup Finals to meet the Pittsburgh Penguins. In games one and two of the Stanley Cup finals, Osgood had back-to-back shutouts, making him the fourth goalie in NHL history to start the Finals with back-to-back shutouts. Between the two games, he made a total of 41 saves. His save as time expired in Game Six sealed the Stanley Cup win for the Red Wings and for Osgood, who won his second championship as a starting goaltender. His final 2008 playoff record was 14–4 with a 1.55 GAA; he was considered a contender for the Conn Smythe Trophy which eventually went to Henrik Zetterberg.
Aftermath of the Stanley Cup
The following 2008–09 season was a sharp contrast to the 2008 playoffs for Osgood, who struggled heavily for virtually the entire season, and ended it with the worst statistical numbers of his entire career. "It was the worst I've played in that long of a stretch in my career," he said. "Let's be honest.".[7] A combination of injuries and self-inflicted mental pressure adversely affected his game, to the point where late in the season he was essentially "sent home" for ten days by the Red Wings, in order for him to work with goaltending coach Jim Bedard and re-focus. Although his 26 wins put him 10th all-time in the NHL by season's end, he finished with a GAA a full goal above what he had posted in 2007–08, and a save percentage in the bottom ten percent of all 45 goalies who played enough to qualify.
Despite being visibly outplayed in nearly every aspect by Ty Conklin during the regualr season, whom he credited for not allowing the goaltending situation to become much worse than it was, Osgood's immense playoff experience was referred to throughout the season, and as the unquestioned starting goaltender in the 2009 playoffs, he played nearly every minute of 23 games, finishing with a 15–8 record. His drastically improved performance led to speculation that he was Detroit's leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Red Wings advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight year. However in the end, Detroit was defeated in a rematch of the previous year with the Pittsburgh Penguins, this time in seven games, after having two chances to close out the series with the Wings leading 3-2 after Game 5.
The following season, Osgood continued to struggle in regular season play, and eventually lost his position as Detroit's starting goaltender to his newly promoted backup for the season from Grand Rapids and rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard. However, the Red Wings in general under performed, mainly at the beginning of the season due to injuries to key players. Osgood finished the 2009–10 season having played only 23 games, with most of these at the beginning of the season when he was still the starter before being replaced by Howard, and posting a 3.02 GAA and .888 save percentage.
Osgood had better statistics during the 2010-11 NHL season. On December 27, 2010, in a game against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center, Osgood earned his 400th career victory. He became just the 10th goaltender in NHL history to reach this milestone. The Red Wings won the game 4–3 in overtime on a goal by Niklas Kronwall.[8] On July 19, 2011, Osgood announced his retirement from ice hockey, but remained with the Wings organization in a role developing young goaltenders with the assistance of his former goaltending coach Tom Danko.[9][10]
Post-playing career
On September 9, 2013, it was announced that Chris Osgood was hired as a Red Wings game and studio analyst for Fox Sports Detroit, replacing fired-former teammate Larry Murphy.[11] In this role, he primarily provides analysis in the studio, but he also replaced Mickey Redmond on select road games throughout the season. On February 14, 2019, the network announced that he and Murphy will rotate in the same capacity for the rest of the 2018–19 season and beyond.[12][13][14][15]
Edward John Belfour is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of North Dakota where he helped the school win the NCAA championship in the 1986–87 season. The following year, Belfour signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks alternating time between them and the Saginaw Hawks of the International Hockey League. Many regard Belfour as an elite goaltender and one of the best of all-time. His 484 wins rank fifth all-time among NHL goaltenders. Belfour was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the 2011 class, his first year of eligibility. In addition Belfour is one of only two players to have won an NCAA championship, an Olympic Gold medal, and a Stanley Cup.
Dominik Hašek is a Czech former ice hockey goaltender who mostly played for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). Widely regarded as one of the best goaltenders of all time, Hašek also played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators in his 16-season National Hockey League (NHL) career before finishing his career in Europe. While in Buffalo, he became one of the league's finest goaltenders, earning him the nickname "The Dominator". His strong play has been credited with establishing European goaltenders in a league previously dominated by North Americans. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, both with the Red Wings, winning his first one as the starting goaltender, and his second one as the backup goaltender.
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Glenn Henry Hall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. During his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and St. Louis Blues, Hall seldom missed a game and was a consistent performer, winning the Vezina Trophy, which at the time was awarded to the goaltender on the team allowing the fewest goals against, three times, being voted the First team All-Star goaltender a record seven times, and winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as best rookie. Nicknamed "Mr. Goalie", he was the first goaltender to develop and make effective use of the butterfly style of goalkeeping. In 2017 Hall was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history. He is the grandfather of Grant Stevenson.
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Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League between 1967 and 1982.
Ty Curtis Conklin is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. Throughout his National Hockey League (NHL) career, he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues and two stints with the Detroit Red Wings.
Kenneth Lee Wregget is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender.
Robert Earle Essensa is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former goaltender who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Since 2003, he has served as the goaltending coach for the Boston Bruins.
James Russell Howard III is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender and currently a Detroit Red Wings studio analyst for Bally Sports Detroit. He spent his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings, by whom he was drafted in 2003.
Joseph Leonard MacDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Calgary Flames.
Norm Maracle is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Prior to ending his career in Europe, Maracle played in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings and Atlanta Thrashers.
The 2007–08 Detroit Red Wings season was the franchise's 76th season as the Red Wings and 82nd in the National Hockey League (NHL). The team won their eleventh Central Division title, sixth Presidents' Trophy, fifth Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, and won the Stanley Cup as league champion for the fourth time in eleven years. The team finished first in the Central Division and first in the Western Conference for their 17th consecutive playoff appearance and began the playoffs versus the Nashville Predators. The team won the first two games of the series at home but lost the next two at Nashville. In response to these losses, head coach Mike Babcock replaced starting goaltender Dominik Hasek with Chris Osgood. Osgood led the team to nine straight victories en route to a 14–4 record and a four games to two victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.
The 2003–04 Detroit Red Wings season was the 78th National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. Despite multiple injuries to key players, the Wings found themselves once again winning the Presidents' Trophy for having the best regular season record in the NHL, scoring 109 points. In the post-season, they advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals, where they were eliminated by the eventual Western Conference champion Calgary Flames in six games.
The 2001–02 Detroit Red Wings season was the 76th National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings scored 116 points, winning the Central Division, their third Presidents' Trophy, and home ice throughout the playoffs. The team is considered one of the greatest teams in NHL history with ten future Hockey Hall of Famers on the team, as well as a Hall of Fame coach in Scotty Bowman.
The 2008 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2007–08 season, and the culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins. This was Detroit's 23rd appearance in the Finals, and its first since winning the Cup in 2002. This was Pittsburgh's third appearance in the Finals, and its first since winning consecutive Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. The Red Wings defeated the Penguins in six games to win their eleventh Stanley Cup title. Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs. This also marks the most recent time that a Detroit-based franchise won a major professional sports championship.
The 1964–65 Chicago Black Hawks season was the Hawks' 39th season in the NHL, and the club was coming off a second-place finish in 1963–64, as Chicago won a team record 36 games and also set a club record with 84 points. The Hawks would defeat the Detroit Red Wings in 7 games in the NHL semi finals, but would fall to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals in another hard fought 7-game series.
The history of the Detroit Red Wings begins in 1926, when the franchise began play in the National Hockey League (NHL). The professional ice hockey club was founded as the Detroit Cougars on September 25, 1926, one of three teams to join the NHL in 1926. With the demise of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL), the rights to the players of the Victoria Cougars were purchased by a Detroit group led by Charles A. Hughes who kept the name "Cougars" for their NHL club. The new team struggled financially; in 1930, the Cougars changed their name to the Detroit Falcons, and after being bought out of receivership by James E. Norris were renamed as the Detroit Red Wings in 1932. The team played their first game on November 18, 1926, and won their first two Stanley Cup titles in 1936 and 1937. The Red Wings have won the Cup eleven times, more than any other American team in NHL history.
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