Ozzie: The Best Hockey Story of the Year
May 29, 2009
There are some good stories down at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit right now. The Red Wings will face the Pittsburgh Penguins for a rematch in the Stanley Cup Finals – with a chance to become the first team to repeat since – well, the Red Wings, in 1998. Chris Chelios has finally gotten some playoff ice time – at age 47. And Darren Helm, who could be Chelios’s youngest son, still hasn’t managed to score a regular season goal, but has scored five playoff goals in his career. But the best hockey story in Detroit does not involve an old veteran’s playing time or rookie’s playoff goals. It involves a perennial back up goalie who, at age 36, is finally getting the respect he deserves. Chris Osgood doesn’t look like a goalie. He doesn’t even look like an athlete. He looks more like your paper boy. All Osgood ever wanted to be was an NHL goalie. And he was willing to pay the price to get there. He did his time – five years total -- playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers, the Brandon Wheat Kings, the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Adirondack Red Wings. His dream came true in 1993, when he became the starting goalie for the resurgent Red Wings. He did well until the playoffs, when he made a disastrous mistake in the first round. Game seven against San Jose went into overtime. When Osgood came out of his net to play the puck, he inadvertently shot it right at an opposing player, who easily threw it back in to the Wings’ open net for the goal, the game, and the series. To his credit, the painfully shy Osgood did not duck the media. The clearly shell-shocked goalie told reporters it was his fault, and apologized to Detroit. Such a scene is rare enough in daily life. In sports, it is virtually unheard of. Osgood was demoted to back up goalie for the next three seasons. He had to watch from the bench as Mike Vernon played every playoff game in 1997 to win the Red Wings first Stanley Cup in 42 years. When the Red Wings traded Mike Vernon the next year, Osgood got another chance. But he stumbled badly in the playoffs again, letting two shots fired from center ice float behind him into the net. The team managed to win the Cup despite him. It’s hard to be remembered as the scapegoat of a title winning team, but Osgood did it. A few years later, the Red Wings traded Osgood to the New York Islanders for two seasons, who traded him to St. Louis for two more. At 33, it looked like he would never return to Detroit – or a Stanley Cup final. But he kept the faith. He kept his home in Plymouth. And he kept working to get better. And he got another chance. Osgood returned to the Red Wings last season to back up Dominic Hasek. And when Hasek faltered, Osgood was there to jump in. What did he do? He helped win nine straight playoff games – a Red Wings’ record. He was playing the best hockey of his life – and was rewarded with another Stanley Cup. This year, he was battling with understudy Ty Conklin all season, but neither seemed to get the upper hand. In fact, the analysts usually cited goaltending as the team’s only weakness heading into the playoffs. Instead, Osgood has been the team’s biggest story. But not as the back up. Or even as the goat. But as the hero. And if he keeps it up, he might not only win his fourth Cup, but his first Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoff’s Most Valuable Player – at age 36. It would be hockey’s best story all year.
There are some good stories down at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit right now. The Red Wings will face the Pittsburgh Penguins for a rematch in the Stanley Cup Finals – with a chance to become the first team to repeat since – well, the Red Wings, in 1998. Chris Chelios has finally gotten some playoff ice time – at age 47. And Darren Helm, who could be Chelios’s youngest son, still hasn’t managed to score a regular season goal, but has scored five playoff goals in his career. But the best hockey story in Detroit does not involve an old veteran’s playing time or rookie’s playoff goals. It involves a perennial back up goalie who, at age 36, is finally getting the respect he deserves. Chris Osgood doesn’t look like a goalie. He doesn’t even look like an athlete. He looks more like your paper boy. All Osgood ever wanted to be was an NHL goalie. And he was willing to pay the price to get there. He did his time – five years total -- playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers, the Brandon Wheat Kings, the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Adirondack Red Wings. His dream came true in 1993, when he became the starting goalie for the resurgent Red Wings. He did well until the playoffs, when he made a disastrous mistake in the first round. Game seven against San Jose went into overtime. When Osgood came out of his net to play the puck, he inadvertently shot it right at an opposing player, who easily threw it back in to the Wings’ open net for the goal, the game, and the series. To his credit, the painfully shy Osgood did not duck the media. The clearly shell-shocked goalie told reporters it was his fault, and apologized to Detroit. Such a scene is rare enough in daily life. In sports, it is virtually unheard of. Osgood was demoted to back up goalie for the next three seasons. He had to watch from the bench as Mike Vernon played every playoff game in 1997 to win the Red Wings first Stanley Cup in 42 years. When the Red Wings traded Mike Vernon the next year, Osgood got another chance. But he stumbled badly in the playoffs again, letting two shots fired from center ice float behind him into the net. The team managed to win the Cup despite him. It’s hard to be remembered as the scapegoat of a title winning team, but Osgood did it. A few years later, the Red Wings traded Osgood to the New York Islanders for two seasons, who traded him to St. Louis for two more. At 33, it looked like he would never return to Detroit – or a Stanley Cup final. But he kept the faith. He kept his home in Plymouth. And he kept working to get better. And he got another chance. Osgood returned to the Red Wings last season to back up Dominic Hasek. And when Hasek faltered, Osgood was there to jump in. What did he do? He helped win nine straight playoff games – a Red Wings’ record. He was playing the best hockey of his life – and was rewarded with another Stanley Cup. This year, he was battling with understudy Ty Conklin all season, but neither seemed to get the upper hand. In fact, the analysts usually cited goaltending as the team’s only weakness heading into the playoffs. Instead, Osgood has been the team’s biggest story. But not as the back up. Or even as the goat. But as the hero. And if he keeps it up, he might not only win his fourth Cup, but his first Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoff’s Most Valuable Player – at age 36. It would be hockey’s best story all year.
Fabulous story, John. Thanks.
Reply to this
Great stuff... all the Ozzie bashers tick me off. Ozzie is a top 10 goalie of all time, took sketchy St Louis and NYI teams to the playoffs, and people slam the guy constantly.
If the Wings can hold off the injury bug in this last series, many cases could be made for the Conn Smythe this year. In addition to Osgood: Franzen, Zetterberg, & Cleary all have a case.
The NHL Network has been raving about the play of Helm and Ericsson as well.
GO Wings (and Go Blue in the softball series).
--Chris
Reply to this
Chris,
Good point about Ozzie's role in advancing the Blues and the Islanders to heights they have not achieved since -- often forgotten.
Even with last night's loss - with no bad goals on Ozzie, in my opinion -- he still stands as the favorite for playoff MVP. And that might prove to be the capstone he needs for the Hall of Fame.
Now THAT would be a great story!
-JUB
Reply to this
I'll never forget Osgood's stint with the Red Wings. He's always been one of the class act hockey players in the NHL as well. This article brought back some mid 90s NHL memories.
Reply to this