Chris Osgood

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Osgood spent the first part of his 17-year NHL career with the Red Wings, then the Islanders, and afterwards the St. Louis Blues before returning to Detroit in 2005 after the NHL lockout. Osgood was known in Detroit by his nicknames 'Ozzy,' chanted by the crowd after a big save, and 'The Wizard of Oz.' He was the last NHL goalie to wear a traditional player's helmet/cage combo instead of the newer one piece goalie mask until Rick DiPietro briefly wore one of Osgood's in 2011, after he was injured in a fight with Brent Johnson. He is also one of only 17 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.

In Their Own Story

The 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs featured a pivotal turning point for Osgood. Although Dominik Hašek started as the primary goaltender for the Red Wings against the Nashville Predators, he performed poorly in Games 3 and 4 after winning the first two at home. Head Coach Mike Babcock pulled Hašek midway through Game 4 in favor of Osgood, who never left the net again. Osgood started Game 5, securing an overtime win for Detroit, and then won Game 6 in Nashville to eliminate the Predators. This performance capped a remarkable return to form; after assuming the starting role due to Hašek's injuries earlier that season, Osgood finished with a 27–9–4 record by April 30, 2008, ranking first in the NHL with a 2.09 GAA. His play earned him a three-year, $4.5 million contract extension and an appearance at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game.

Reader's Guide

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. He became the fourth goaltender to man the crease for Detroit that season alongside Tim Cheveldae, Vincent Riendeau, and Peter Ing. Cheveldae, along with Dallas Drake, was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for veteran goaltender Bob Essensa and defenceman Sergei Bautin. Osgood was named the primary goaltender for the playoffs. The San Jose Sharks defeated the heavily favored Red Wings in seven games. Following the season, Detroit traded defenceman Steve Chiasson to the Calgary Flames for goaltender Mike Vernon. Osgood served as a backup for Vernon for the 1994–95 season, and the Wings reached the 1995 Stanley Cup Final, where they were swept in four games by the New Jersey Devils. For the 1995–96 season, Osgood led the NHL with a 2.17 GAA and 39 wins, finished third in shutouts (5), and was a Vezina Trophy runner-up to Jim Carey. He and Vernon shared the William M. Jennings Trophy. Osgood was selected for the NHL All-Star Game and named to the post-season NHL All-Star second team. That season, he scored 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, but in the playoffs Head Coach Scotty Bowman went with Vernon as the starter, who led the team to the Cup Final against the Philadelphia Flyers and swept them. Osgood had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup as the backup goaltender. After the 1997 Cup win, Vernon was traded to the San Jose Sharks, making Osgood Detroit's number-one goaltender. The Red Wings advanced to the Stanley Cup Final and defeated the Washington Capitals in another four-game sweep to win back-to-back championships, Osgood's second championship and his first as the starting goaltender. On April 1, 1998, he was in a goalie fight with Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy. Osgood remained Detroit's primary goaltender until the summer of 2001, working alongside Ken Wregget and Manny Legacé. In the summer of 2001, the Red Wings traded for Dominik Hašek. After numerous attempts to trade Osgood, the Red Wings left him unprotected in the waiver draft, and the Islanders claimed him. Osgood split playing time with Garth Snow for the 2001–2002 season and

Did You Know?

• Osgood is one of only 17 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.
• He was the last NHL goalie to wear a traditional player's helmet/cage combo instead of a one-piece goalie mask until Rick DiPietro briefly wore one of Osgood's in 2011.
• Osgood and Patrick Roy had an incident on March 26, 1998, involving words and shoves, not a fight.