Christopher John Osgood, born on November 26, 1972, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Currently, he serves as a studio analyst for the Detroit Red Wings and a part-time color commentator for FanDuel Sports Network Detroit.
Chris Osgood during his time with the Detroit Red Wings.
Osgood is one of only 17 goalies in NHL history to score a goal. He was one of only nine to shoot the puck directly into the opponent's net. He had a very successful career.
Early Career with the Detroit Red Wings
Chris Osgood was chosen by the Red Wings in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, selected as the 54th player overall. 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.
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In the final game, Osgood made a mistake trying to clear the puck. It went to a Sharks player who scored the winning goal. Following the season, Detroit management felt the team needed a strong veteran goaltender with Stanley Cup playoff experience.
They traded for Mike Vernon in the summer of 1994. While the 1994-95 season started late due to a lockout, Osgood served as a backup goaltender for Mike Vernon for the season. The Wings reached the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals that season, where they were swept in four games by the underdog New Jersey Devils.
Rising to Prominence
Osgood received significantly more playing time for the 1995-96 season, and he led the NHL with a 2.17 GAA and 39 wins. He also finished third in shutouts (5) and was a Vezina Trophy runner-up to Jim Carey. Osgood and Vernon shared the William M. Jennings Trophy as the goaltenders, allowing the fewest goals in the league.
During that season, he scored a goal against the Hartford Whalers, becoming the second goaltender in NHL history to score a goal after Ron Hextall. 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.
Osgood still got his name on the Stanley Cup when the Red Wings won their first championship in 42 years. After the 1997 Cup win, Vernon was traded to the San Jose Sharks, making Osgood Detroit's number-one goaltender.
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The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup again in 1998, sweeping the Washington Capitals. On April 1, 1998, Osgood got into a fight with Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy.
Time with the Islanders and Blues
Osgood was the Red Wings' main goalie until 2001. 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.
He helped the Islanders reach the playoffs in the 2001-02 season. They lost a seven-game series to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Osgood played for the Islanders until March 2003. He was then traded to the St. Louis Blues.
Osgood was the main goalie for the St. Louis Blues for the rest of the 2002-03 season and all of the 2003-04 season. He had winning records, but the Blues did not get far in the playoffs. He was the main goalie for the St. Louis Blues for the rest of the 2002-03 season and all of the 2003-04 season. He had winning records, but the Blues did not get far in the playoffs.
Return to Detroit
His contract with St. Louis expired, and on August 8, 2005, Chris Osgood returned to the Detroit Red Wings. He signed a one-year 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.
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Osgood was assigned to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL) on a conditioning assignment. Osgood also worked with rookie goaltenders Jimmy Howard and Joey MacDonald while Legacé recovered from knee injuries in late 2005. Osgood signed a new two-year contract in 2006. He shared goalie duties with Dominik Hašek again.
The 2007-08 season was a great one for Osgood. Hašek struggled and got injured, so Osgood became the starting goalie. He had excellent stats, including a 2.09 GAA. As of April 30, 2008, Osgood ranked 1st in the NHL in GAA with 2.09 during the regular season, 16th in Save Percentage with 0.914, and had an impressive 27-9-4 record.
That performance earned him a 3 year/$4.5M contract extension with the Red Wings and an appearance at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game. In the 2008 playoffs, coach Mike Babcock made Osgood the starting goalie.
With Osgood in goal, the Red Wings won nine playoff games in a row. The Red Wings reached the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals to play the Pittsburgh Penguins. Osgood had two shutouts in a row to start the Finals. He was the fourth goalie in NHL history to do this.
His save as time expired in Game Six sealed the Stanley Cup win for the Red Wings. This was Osgood's second Stanley Cup as a starting goalie.
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.
Despite his regular season struggles, his playoff experience was important. He played almost every minute of the 2009 playoffs. The Red Wings reached the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals again. They played the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rematch.
In the 2009-10 season, Osgood continued to struggle. He eventually lost his starting goalie position to rookie Jimmy Howard. Osgood had better statistics during the 2010-11 NHL season.
NHL 09 PC Chris Osgood saves the day BEST SAVE!
On December 27, 2010, he earned his 400th career victory. He became only the 10th goalie in NHL history to reach this milestone. The Red Wings won that game in overtime.
On July 19, 2011, Chris Osgood announced his retirement from playing ice hockey.
Post-Retirement Career
On September 9, 2013, Chris Osgood became a studio analyst for Fox Sports Detroit (now Bally Sports Detroit). He gives analysis during games. In 2016, Osgood became a part-owner of the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit team.
Achievements and Legacy
Chris Osgood won three Stanley Cup championships during his career. All of his wins were with the Red Wings. He was a backup goalie for his first win and the main starting goalie for his last two. He was the last NHL goalie to wear an older style helmet with a separate cage. Most goalies today wear a single-piece mask.
Here's a summary of Osgood's key achievements:
| Achievement | Details |
|---|---|
| Stanley Cup Championships | 1997, 1998, 2008 (all with Detroit Red Wings) |
| William M. Jennings Trophy | 1996 (shared with Mike Vernon) |
| 400 Career Wins | 10th goaltender in NHL history to reach this milestone |
Chris Osgood with the Stanley Cup.
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