Lidstrom and Osgood, do they get their numbers retired?

[SFwingsfan 23]

I'm inclined to say Lidstrom for sure, but Osgood no (at least not yet). And I can't think of anyone else on the current roster. Obviously we have a few more seasons before Z or Dats can be considered in the discussion.

[kylee 727]

Lidstrom : no doubt

Ozzie: i love him, but no.

[KronwallCRUNCH 5]

Lidstrom: YES.

Osgood: Possibly down the road, but his career ain't over yet!

[Jericho613 74]

Yes and Yes

[RWK23 0]

Yes to both, IMO.

If Osgood's isn't retired, it will be removed from circulation, a la Aurie and Konstantinov.

Edited June 10, 2008 by RWK23

[BlakChamber 8]

Lids - Yes.

Ozzie - Love the guy, but no.

It's tougher to get your number retired by the Wings than it is to get in the HHOF.

And its waaaaaaaaay too early to make a call on Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

[Real1 2]

Obviously we have a few more seasons before Z or Dats can be considered in the discussion.

And its waaaaaaaaay too early to make a call on Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

Everyone knows that they will both have there numbers retired. Lets talk about it....

[Shaman 713]

Osgood, Not unless he puts together 1 more cup run.

Lids will be up no doubt

Zetterberg, if he keeps up the pace hes on and becomes captain he could easily be up there too one day.

[SFwingsfan 23]

Yes to both, IMO.

If Osgood's isn't retired, it will be removed from circulation, a la Aurie and Konstantinov.

This brings up an interesting topic. I always thought that Aurie's number was retired officially by Bruce Norris and it was listed as such in team and league media material. Then when Illitch took over it became unclear if it was retired or not. Does anyone know if it was ever hung in the rafters at Olympia. If this topic has been covered before I apologize in advance.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

If Fedorov and Shanahan aren't going to have their numbers retired, then neither should Osgood.

[KronwallCRUNCH 5]

If Fedorov and Shanahan aren't going to have their numbers retired, then neither should Osgood.

Shanahan, meh. He has played more than half of his career with teams other than Detroit. Fedorov, you could make a case for. I think that the fact that Osgood is a goaltender, and that he's posted the stats that he has would give him a better chance than Sergei, though.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Shanahan, meh. He has played more than half of his career with teams other than Detroit. Fedorov, you could make a case for. I think that the fact that Osgood is a goaltender, and that he's posted the stats that he has would give him a better chance than Sergei, though.

No, it has all to do with personality. A lot of people hate Fedorov for the way he left, while no one hates Osgood. It's purely a popularity contest, because Fedorov had a better career as a Wing than Osgood.

[Jedi 1,865]

As if Lidstrom wasn't already a lock prior to last Wednesday, it's almost a dead certainty that the #5 will hang in the rafters.

Ozzie's a tougher case. I love the guy, and he has delivered 2 Stanley Cups, but I don't think that he's had the kind of legendary career that's needed to get the number retired. He's a fan favorite, for sure, and he's had a damn good career, even opting to re-sign with a team that hung him out to dry when Hasek was brought on board. But I just don't think that that will be enough.

Of the current Wings, and former Wings that are nearing retirement (I'm looking at you, Sergei Fedorov), I really only see Lidstrom's number being retired.

Zets and Pavs... Please... Let's postpone that talk for 15 years, and then we'll see...

*edit* getting my facts straight

Edited June 10, 2008 by Jedi

[Kronwall55 0]

For a long time people hated Osgood....myself included. I'm still not a big Osgood fan though I am thrilled at how he played in the playoff's.

Lidstrom's number will be retired and I think that will be it until maybe someday Zetterberg. Fedorov probably would have had his retired if he had stuck around.

[Probert 5 For Fighting 0]

People seriously think Ozzie is worthy of having his number retired?

He's been a good goaltender who backstopped 2 championship teams, period. Leave it at that. If his number is retired, Fedorov's should be draped over the roof of Joe Louis Arena and a statue should be erected in his honor.

[CupChamps979802 35]

Both will have been on the tonight show so isn't it automatic

[Earthhuman 8]

Osgood is a professional, a class act, a calm, collected, loyal, deserving player. The problem is that there are only, what, 91 numbers left?

Lidstrom is getting his number retired.

[hallelujahlogic 1]

if ozzie keeps playing like he has been, he's on course to shatter a lot of sawchuk's records. doesn't that logically mean that since sawchuk's jersey is retired, if ozzie does break many/all of his records (i don't know all of them off the top of my head, so i don't know if it's feasable for him to actually break them all) his jersey should be retired too?

and lids. jeez. no question.

[Hank Dats 'N Homer 81]

if ozzie keeps playing like he has been, he's on course to shatter a lot of sawchuk's records. doesn't that logically mean that since sawchuk's jersey is retired, if ozzie does break many/all of his records (i don't know all of them off the top of my head, so i don't know if it's feasable for him to actually break them all) his jersey should be retired too?

and lids. jeez. no question.

These were my thoughts exactly. Regardless if you like him or not, he has shattered and will continue to shatter Detroit Red Wings goaltending records. I think that in itself would Qualify him. But some of you are saying its a personality and popularity contest, two more things that are in Osgoods favor in my book. I think after you win one stanley cup as a starter, one stanley cup as a back up to Vernon and one stanley cup as a Regualr season Tandom with a Great like Hasek and then WINNING all playoff games besides two means you have 3 Stanley cups, which i think is jersey retirement worhty already. Factor in the fact that that all were with the same team really strengthens his chances. I think he is more than Qualified for this honor, if he can repeat next year with another cup (Which is in no way out of the question) I'd say he would be a lock. I dont care who out there calls him an all star Back up goalie, he will always be a Starter in my book, and with all the records he has as a BACKUP he has broken ALOT of so called Detroit STARTER goaltender records, including playoff records.

Lids for sure.

Ozzie well on his way if not already....

But thats just my opinion which means nothing to managment or anyone else here haha

Edited June 10, 2008 by Hank Dats 'N Homer

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Yes to both, espcially if Ozzie can put together two more 25+ win seasons. If we win another cup, no doubt he makes it in.

[eva unit zero 271]

This brings up an interesting topic. I always thought that Aurie's number was retired officially by Bruce Norris and it was listed as such in team and league media material. Then when Illitch took over it became unclear if it was retired or not. Does anyone know if it was ever hung in the rafters at Olympia. If this topic has been covered before I apologize in advance.

IIRC, no numbers were hung until after the team moved to the Joe.

[hockeytown9 1]

Interesting thread. Lidstrom will definitely have his number retired. Osgood, I'm not so sure, but I wouldn't say it's out of the question. As someone else said, had Fedorov stayed around, he could have had his number retired. As much as I wasn't happy to see him sign with the Ducks for less money, he was still an important part of the team and the successes they had.

[betterREDthandead 58]

I always say this: If you have to debate it, the answer is no. Retiring a number is a greater honor than the Hall of Fame. Lidstrom, absolutely. Ozzie, no. I'm a big ol' Ozzie fan, but you keep the retired numbers for the really, truly special players.

[eva unit zero 271]

Osgood with Detroit already has one of the highest single-team wins records ever. After a full season next year, he will pass Mike Richter (NYR), Patrick Roy (Mtl), Turk Broda (Tor). That will leave only Jacques Plante (Mtl), Martin Brodeur (NJ), Terry Sawchuk (Det) and Tony Esposito (Chi) as guys who have won more games in a single uniform. Brodeur is the only one that could be considered out of reach for Osgood. If he finishes as the all-time wins leader on the Wings, and second only to Brodeur among single-team wins...how can he NOT get his number retired? For all the talk about 'Osgood played on a great team' there is no talk comparing the 90s/00s Wings to the 80s Oilers or Islanders, the 70s Canadiens, or any of the other 'best teams of all-time' that many of the other goaltenders on that list played behind. So it's unreasonable to say his numbers came from great teams when other "better " goaltenders who played on better teams didn't post Ozzie's numbers, isn't it?

HHOF lock...and if he keeps up his play (which is likely) then he should have his jersey hanging from the rafters.

[sjradio 0]

I think Lidstrom will have his number retired. But right now he's the only one that probably will

Osgood. I think he's a great goaltender, but is he the caliber of player as Yzerman, Sawchuk, Delvecchio, Lindsay, Abel, and Howe.... No. If you retire Ozzie, you might as well retire Tim Cheveldae.... Not gonna happen.

At one time I would have considered Marty Lapointe and maybe Sergei Fedorov. I remember that some people thought that Marty LaPointe could have been the next captain after Yzerman.