Should We Alternate Goalies in the Playoffs?

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

If Hasek and Osgood are both playing equally well come playoff time, and the team continues winning just about every game, should Babcock name a starter for the playoffs, or could this team possibly alternate goalies in the playoffs? I know that hasn't been done much in the past, but I'm beginning to think that with this team it wouldn't matter. Note that I'm not asking who should be the starting goalie, but rather should we have one at all?

[Reds4Life 51]

I think we should have clearly stated whos no.1 for the playoff run.

[thedisappearer 291]

No way.

But can WE please get to the playoffs first before we do this thread? Too much can happen that I don't wann to deal with.

*knocks on wood*

[betterREDthandead 58]

Why fix what ain't broke? If the tandem is working this well come playoffs time (assuming we make it) then why not stick with it? I don't think there'd be anything wrong with it. You don't sit a hot goalie. I'd hate to let one go cold on the bench and have the other get hurt.

[OsGOD 3]

I say we go with the goalie leading the league in stats... but that is just my theory behind winning... what do i know?

[Reds4Life 51]

Yea, I do agree that if playoffs were about to start, Ozzie should play despite how much would Dom hate it.

[wingslogo19 281]

Oh brother.. Well I knew on Monday morning when I came back there would be a new goalie thread

[Viperar 16]

this goalie thread is different, except with osgod trying to poison it again

anyway, i dont see anything wrong with alternating the goalies like we do. Keep them both hot if they still are at that point. Still a lot can happen in this season though so we will see

[wingnut40 176]

I think that'd be a good idea. I'd take some pressure off of I'm guessing Dom and if he F's up we can put Ozzie in to make it all better!

Edited January 7, 2008 by wingnut40

[JayUp88 1]

Its not a good idea for the playoffs but lets talk about this in late Feb.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I personally would play Osgood, and if the team starts slipping in the series, then put Hasek in. If the wings are down in a series 2-1 going into an essential game 4 and all of a sudden Babcock gives Hasek the nod, I believe that would put a lot of emphasis on Hasek playing good that game, as well as send a message out to the rest of the team saying "we're in trouble if we don't make changes, and that means everyone."

[Lady in REd 0]

We have a lot of time and so much can happen but if playoffs were to come next week, I'd say we keep the tandem since both are doing so well and the competition is only producing good results.

[OsGOD 3]

this goalie thread is different, except with osgod trying to poison it again

anyway, i dont see anything wrong with alternating the goalies like we do. Keep them both hot if they still are at that point. Still a lot can happen in this season though so we will see

haha i am so not poisoning it other than speaking the truth... Isn't the goal to put your best players on the ice. Ozzie is not just the best goalie on our team but in the entire NHL... it would be silly to not have THE best represent YOUR best on the ice.

[rick zombo 3,739]

It would be pretty amazing to win the cup this year by alternating goalies. Grounbreaking.

[Z and D for the C 712]

We have the two best goalies in the league. As long as it's a red wings goalie, who cares?

[dallas27 7]

Osgood will get the shaft come playoff time. Hasek will be the #1 solely because of his name. Because if it were based on performance everyone knows who would be in net.

[Packer487 3]

I don't want to start a war, so I'm not going to bring up all the reasons to start Hasek, but I think it's pretty clear that Dom is going to get his chance barring a complete collapse/injury.

Osgood has been stellar. He deserves to be on the All-Star team, and I think he's got a pretty good shot. But the fact that he's been as good as he has and Babcock was never willing to anoint him the starter--and only has them as co-goalies at this point--it seems like he knows (or at least suspects) who the guy is come playoff time.

I think these guys are actually helping each other. Osgood's stellar play likely made Dom realize he needed to get with it in a hurry, and Osgood knows that he's gotta play lights out hockey if he wants to keep seeing regular playing time and have a shot at minutes in the post-season. And they've both responded in a big way to the challenge. Also, they both get days off--and since neither of them is the model of perfect health, it's hard to see how that's a bad thing.

We really can't go wrong either way. Osgood's got him in stats right now, but since that 3 game losing streak almost 2 months ago, Dom is 8-1-1 (and can hardly be blamed for that regulation loss where he gave up 1 goal and got 0 goals of support offensively) with a 1.47 GAA and a .930 save percentage with 2 shutouts. Over Osgood's last ten, he's 9-1-0 with a 1.70 GAA and a .934 save percentage with 1 shutout.

It's hard to point at Osgood's season stats at this point and say "He should be the starter" when Dom has been playing every bit as well as of late. If I'm making the decision today about who is starting the playoffs, I don't care that Dom's numbers are worse because he looked like butt a couple times early on in the year.

But the real thing that those numbers show: Both of our goalies are freaking ridiculous.

[dallas27 7]

We have the two best goalies in the league. As long as it's a red wings goalie, who cares?

I wouldn't go as to far to say the best two. The best goalie, yes. Hasek stops pucks he should, and really hasn't stolen a game (New Years he played great however) and all of a sudden he's back to the savior of the team. Exactly why he will be starting in the playoffs. Except for the fact that Osgood is playing at a level Hasek will not get to this year.

[Guest jaytan]

It would be pretty stupid not to stick to a No. 1 guy for the playoffs. It's nice to be able to have a pretty reliable back-up plan in case of injuries or poor performance, but you have to show confidence in your starter and you have to ride the guy who you trust the most. If I were in charge, I'd give the job to Ozzie because he's been most consistent this season and he works best with our skaters. If anything goes wrong, Hasek isn't a bad Plan B.

[Guest jaytan]

Osgood will get the shaft come playoff time. Hasek will be the #1 solely because of his name.

That name won't do a whole lot of good if it leads us to an embarassing exit in the first or second round.

[Packer487 3]

I wouldn't go as to far to say the best two. The best goalie, yes. Hasek stops pucks he should, and really hasn't stolen a game (New Years he played great however) and all of a sudden he's back to the savior of the team. Exactly why he will be starting in the playoffs. Except for the fact that Osgood is playing at a level Hasek will not get to this year.

People are way too quick to just write off Hasek's wins as just stopping the pucks he's supposed to stop. He's been lights out for a good month plus now--and I think it'd be fair to say he "stole" that game against Dallas, even if the media didn't show him any love with a star. He made at least 5 blockbuster saves in that game....on pucks that were actually going to be on net, too.

Is it really fair to say Osgood's at a level Dom won't get to this year when their stats over the past 10 are remarkably similar?

Dom probably dug himself too deep a hole stat wise to get up the chart in save percentage (and the Wings don't allow enough shots), but you'd be hard pressed to find two goalies in the league playing better than our duo right now....

[Heaton 1]

Babcock will choose the goalie who gives the team the best chance to win.

[dallas27 7]

People are way too quick to just write off Hasek's wins as just stopping the pucks he's supposed to stop. He's been lights out for a good month plus now--and I think it'd be fair to say he "stole" that game against Dallas, even if the media didn't show him any love with a star. He made at least 5 blockbuster saves in that game....on pucks that were actually going to be on net, too.

Just as people are way to quick to say that almost every save is spectacular.

Is it really fair to say Osgood's at a level Dom won't get to this year when their stats over the past 10 are remarkably similar?

Well, let's see. Just going going on observations. Osgood is quicker side-to-side, recovering, controlling rebounds, more sound, handles the puck 802346087234 x better, anticipates better. He's playing the best hockey of his life and he's going to get shafted because of Hasek's name.

Sorry if I'm not sold on Hasek or tandeming them. Hasek is playing well yes, but Osgood is simply better this year. Obviously his play and stats back that up. It's not like Osgood knows what it takes to win the cup. And does anyone else find that the team is more confident with Osgood in net?

I'm just happy that Osgood has accepted his role and is happy with it.

[toby91_ca 620]

Is it really fair to say Osgood's at a level Dom won't get to this year when their stats over the past 10 are remarkably similar?

Here is a perfect example why you can't really look at small stretches of games in isolation (good or bad):

Ty Conklin (career minor leaguer, emergency call up by the Pens), last 7 games:

7-0, 1.67 gaa, .948 sv%

[interminded 1]

You ride the hot goalie, true ?

So if you have two hot goalies and BOTH have shown the ability the win games throughout the season, why not play both of them ??

If there is a solid reason not to at least try it, I love to hear it !