Chris Osgood- What do we do?

[Winged_Wheeler 3]

I don't know what else to say about him. What's happened to him? I know he's an average goaltender, but if you give up 4-6 goals a game there's an issue. Osgood's got 3 regulation loses, but all of those he should have won. The San Jose game was a disaster. Tired Red Wings team plays solid offense and Osgood's screws it up by giving up 2 breakaway goals.

I just don't know what to say.

Should they bench him and tell him to get it together? Maybe trade him? Did the defense bail him out last year in the playoffs or was he in the zone?

Indifferent right now.

Discuss.

[Reilly 24]

http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=55146

[Dano33 41]

I don't know what else to say about him. What's happened to him? I know he's an average goaltender, but if you give up 4-6 goals a game there's an issue. Osgood's got 3 regulation loses, but all of those he should have won. The San Jose game was a disaster. Tired Red Wings team plays solid offense and Osgood's screws it up by giving up 2 breakaway goals.

I just don't know what to say.

Should they bench him and tell him to get it together? Maybe trade him? Did the defense bail him out last year in the playoffs or was he in the zone?

Indifferent right now.

Discuss.

Are you kidding me? You don't blame the goalie on breakaway goals, you blame the defense.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I didn't see tonight's game so I can't speak to that. But any time a goalie gives up 6, it's not good.

In general this season he just has not been near as sharp as he was last season. It was not the defense bailing him out in the playoffs. Ozzie's not a goalie who's going to steal you a lot of games, but when he's playing well he won't cost you any either. That's how he was last season. Solid. Consistent. Came up with some big saves to keep the team in the game and give them a chance to get into it.

I was hoping the break would straighten it out, but last game he looked like he was overplaying the puck a lot. Being too aggressive and taking himself out of position.

As for what the Wings do, there's not much to do. Keep playing them both, probably in a 50/50 split and see what happens as they get closer to playoffs. Even with Ozzy's up and down goaltending, the Wings are 31-8-6. It's a concern, but they don't need to panic.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Play Conklin. He definitely seems more capable of saving games and robbing players than Osgood right now.

Edit: by the way that fifth goal no goalie in the league is stopping.

Editx2: This is probably the best way I've seen Osgood described: "Ozzie's not a goalie who's going to steal you a lot of games, but when he's playing well he won't cost you any either." -haroldsnepsts, and I think this is exactly what's going on tonight.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Echolalia

[TheOwl 77]

lol Theirs no way he could of stopped that 5th goal! I love how people try and defend him. How many times have we said that this season? 6 goals? Come on. Osgood looks small, he looks slow, he rarely makes a good save. Just send him to the minors for a dozen games, or bench him. He's playing awful.

[Echolalia 2,961]

lol Theirs no way he could of stopped that 5th goal! I love how people try and defend him. How many times have we said that this season? 6 goals? Come on. Osgood looks small, he looks slow, he rarely makes a good save. Just send him to the minors for a dozen games, or bench him. He's playing awful.

I think you're misinterpreting my post based on the fact that I said nobody is stopping goal #5. I'm completely of the mind that Osgood is underperforming this year, and at this point I want Conkin to bear most of the games, but I'm also being honest about that fifth goal. It was a nice shot.

[Duck Guy 86]

I think they should put Conks on as #1 for awile and work with ozzy a little. And while that work on D some more of course.

[Guest dekeyuk]

lol Theirs no way he could of stopped that 5th goal! I love how people try and defend him. How many times have we said that this season? 6 goals? Come on. Osgood looks small, he looks slow, he rarely makes a good save. Just send him to the minors for a dozen games, or bench him. He's playing awful.

Exactly. Maybe these Ozzie homers could go through all 70 odd goals he has given up this season and tell us which ones were unstoppable. Is it 24%, 33%. 50%, 75%? Does he have more unstoppable goals than any other goal tender in the league?

Babs is smarter and more patient than we are. He will continue to play both, because it is too soon to gamble on either one. However, on D which has been awful he has options right now. I say play Meech and even Ericcson and get some pressure on Kronvall and Stuart to perform. Call their asses out, sit down and hug them... just something to kick them in the ass. They are playing like... well, like Lilja used to. It's that bad.

[norrisnick 1]

Tired Red Wings team plays solid offense and Osgood's screws it up by giving up 2 breakaway goals.

That has to be the greatest sentence in the history of hockey.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Osgood's shoulders were about a foot and a half off the ice on the 5th goal, it was an easy shot for whoever scored it.

The last goal and the second goal are the only goals I don't expect (though not impossible).

Conks needs to be the #1, none of this back and forth trash. give him at least 3 straight.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Z and D for the C

[MacK_Attack 108]

I think they should put Conks on as #1 for awile and work with ozzy a little. And while that work on D some more of course.

Sticking a goalie on the bench isn't the best way to help him find a rhythm.

[J-Swift 0]

Sticking a goalie on the bench isn't the best way to help him find a rhythm.

Agreed.

Much like Dom last year, Osgood will almost certainly be starting in the post-season unless he absolutely collapses (keep in mind his record is actually pretty good), so I'd rather we give him the means to get his game back on track rather than just benching him.

Granted tonight was a big statement game for Ozzie following yet another shutout for Conklin, and he really didn't perform. I didn't think any of the goals were awful, but six is a few too many to give up.

[Wingsallwin 0]

Now people who tried to protect Osgood should go away and disappear. How the f*** the goalie allows more than 5 goals already few times start a game against the Sharks?

I don't care this is the beginning or middle of the season. We gave Osgood already too many chances to prove that his record of the beginning was a fluke. But the truth has been showed up.

Osgood just sucks and give all big game chances to Conklin. Give starts to Osgood when we play against the horrible teams like Isles.

I don't mind how much Osgood gets as a salary. Some people here said it is not Osgood's fault when he allows a goal. Ok, then is it a good stat that Goalie allows 6 goals so many times? Goalie should make a key save. We don't expect Osgood to be Patrick Roy. Our goalies need to make only key saves because our defenses are superior.

That was the difference between Nabby and Osgood. Nabby was not even good tonight but he made key saves on a breakway.

Who cares about the priority of Osgood on this team. Skills and Stats show everything on goalie and stats do not lie. Yes, sometimes the organization has to show players that they believe those players. But, now look at it. We don't need Osgood to start the game again at all.

GAA over 3.00 is just a terrible thing to see and save percentage is lower than .900?

Personally, I think the Wings played better than the Sharks tonight by the offenses and defenses. Well, last bad allowing break away by defense were bad but overall we played better than the Sharks.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Wingsallwin

[thedisappearer 291]

Sticking a goalie on the bench isn't the best way to help him find a rhythm.

But it's a good message to find it himself.

[maltbyrocks18 0]

it is simple, as others have said, just. play. CONKLIN. You gotta rotate them still at this point, but the games should be picked a little more wisely. osgood has not had one game this season that earned him a game as big as this one was, and in my opinion conklin has done more than enough to deserve to play. Now i do have faith in babcock, and i would not be surprised if this game was a test to see ozzie in a playoff level game this season. The sad thing is he failed. I do not like osgood, but still we can't burn him at the stake, he is struggling and conklin should take a few consecutive games at the very least to not only give him his props, but to let oz get some work in on his game and get his head straight. This is not osgood of last season, i agree with harolds point about how he has seemed to be overplaying the puck as of late. i feel it is a desperation sign of ozzie losing confidence and him trying to find what will get him back on track. Thats fine and dandy but he can do that in practice and let conklin tend the crease for a while.

[Datsyerberger 279]

To be honest, I think Conklin's play will drop sharply if he gets too many more games than he's getting now. He's a great backup, but not a starter. Osgood is capable of being a 40-50 game starter if he gets in his groove, and is a proven (hell, even clutch) playoff performer.

[Winged_Wheeler 3]

Now people who tried to protect Osgood should go away and disappear. How the f*** the goalie allows more than 5 goals already few times start a game against the Sharks?

I don't care this is the beginning or middle of the season. We gave Osgood already too many chances to prove that his record of the beginning was a fluke. But the truth has been showed up.

Osgood just sucks and give all big game chances to Conklin. Give starts to Osgood when we play against the horrible teams like Isles.

I don't mind how much Osgood gets as a salary. Some people here said it is not Osgood's fault when he allows a goal. Ok, then is it a good stat that Goalie allows 6 goals so many times? Goalie should make a key save. We don't expect Osgood to be Patrick Roy. Our goalies need to make only key saves because our defenses are superior.

That was the difference between Nabby and Osgood. Nabby was not even good tonight but he made key saves on a breakway.

Who cares about the priority of Osgood on this team. Skills and Stats show everything on goalie and stats do not lie. Yes, sometimes the organization has to show players that they believe those players. But, now look at it. We don't need Osgood to start the game again at all.

GAA over 3.00 is just a terrible thing to see and save percentage is lower than .900?

Personally, I think the Wings played better than the Sharks tonight by the offenses and defenses. Well, last bad allowing break away by defense were bad but overall we played better than the Sharks.

You can't even do that, he lost those two games in Dallas plus the opener of the season against the Maple Leafs.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

To be honest, I think Conklin's play will drop sharply if he gets too many more games than he's getting now. He's a great backup, but not a starter. Osgood is capable of being a 40-50 game starter if he gets in his groove, and is a proven (hell, even clutch) playoff performer.

How do you know hes not a great starter when hes never had that role? He happened to do quite well in Pittsburgh holding down the fort while MAF was out. If Conklin were the "starter" regardless, he'd still be playing only 50-60% of the games. Thats simply how he rolls. Detroit hasn't had a "starter" in the traditional sense in quite some time.

[Andy Pred 48 337]

Ty Conklin DET 22 16 5 1 616 48 2.21 568 .922 5

Chris Osgood DET 24 15 3 5 658 77 3.23 581 .883 0

At present there are 45 N/M that have seen time in the NHL. All have played

over 15 games.

The current standings for GAA has Ty at #6 and Oz at #42 just in front of old

prospect Joey MacDonald who has made nearly double the amount of saves.

In the Sv% table Ty is at #9 and Oz is #44, second from bottom, in fact the

bottom 3 all have the same .883 % rating.

Its only stats I know but, these are worrying ones for the Wings coaching

staff however you look at it. Loyalty is one thing but business is business

and if you can't do the business then measure's need to be taken.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Andy Pred 48

[#19=Legend 29]

LMAO! i knew this was coming.

read my sig

[YoungGuns1340 1]

LMAO! i knew this was coming.

read my sig

LOLOLOLO so you think, as a member of LGW, we should trade Osgood for a 4th and a happy meal? You added the happy meal because you're about 11 years old, aren't you? Its ok, you can call dibs on the toy.

Seriously, there is nothing more annoying, nor discrediting to your debate tactics, to not only use hyperbole, but to put words in other peoples mouths as well. Try actually debating the issue, and you might not look like such a slappy.

[norrisnick 1]

Conklin = Legace.

Babcock better not make that mistake again.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

Do what some fans and the media have usually done with Ozzie....

kick him when he's up, kick him when he's down.........

[Datsyerberger 279]

Conklin = Legace.

Babcock better not make that mistake again.

Wisdom.

To YG: Conklin beat several goaltenders out of their starter position with his excellent backup play in Edmonton. He summarily crapped the bed.

He had excellent backup play there, excellent backup play in Pitt, and excellent backup play thus far in Detroit. Keep him in such a position; it's where he can succeed.