Osgood named playoff starter

[Guest Four]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=416381

[Electrophile 3,554]

I expect this to be an epic thread.

In any event, this comment -->

Logo on the front, not the name on the back.

......THAT is what matters here. We want them to win (clearly), so put your faith in Ozzie and hold on to your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

[edicius 3,269]

Now we just need to get Lils healthy for the first round.

[sixer 37]

Dom was named the starter last year as well.

We'll definitely a see repeat come this year, this time for Ozzie it will be the opposite.

[Yzermania 156]

Now we just need to get Lils healthy for the first round.

I wish we could but I have a feeling he isn't returning this season. It seems more serious than they are letting out.

[wingfan1991 221]

let's go Ozzie!! let's forget how s*** he's been this year, and that's exactly what babcock did was take the best from the bad.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

I totally agree with Hockeycrazy ... just keep Ozzie on a short leash like Babcock did with Hasek last playoffs .. worked out fine xD

Problem is last year we had two good GTs going into the POs, one faltered a bit, and the other stepped in and took over. This year we have two bad GTs going into the POs, so switching won't really help/change things.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Ozzie didn't win the job, it's just that Conklin lost it. If both guys played equally, Ozzie would have gotten it, which is exactly what happened with these recent miserable outings.

Pretty pathetic for Conklin that he couldn't even outplay Ozzie and the s***ty season that he has been having. It'll be interesting to see which of these jokers come back for another season.

[OsGOD 3]

Rock on! can't wait to get these sissy games over with and on to the much more important ones

Good thing this isn't a single game elmination like football... then we might be in a bit of trouble. We are capable to eliminating teams in 7 games if we blow a few games here and there.

I can foresee the world coming to an end on our first loss... second loss even our 8th loss this playoffs... but that doesn't eliminate you unless 4 are against the same team. we arent going 16 - 0... losses will happen and probably quite a few throughout... just as long as its no more than 12

[Hockeytown_Ryan 122]

Was today April Fool's Day? Thought that was couple days ago

[kylee 727]

to me, its good that Ozzie is named the starter.

as much as he has struggled this year @ times, everyone knows he really is a proven playoff winner who doesn't get rattled in the playoffs.

ty conklin....not in the same boat. Decent goalie, but decent goalie's dont take a team to a Stanley Cup.

i feel much more comfortable going into the playoffs w/ a guy who has been part of three championship teams, and has been the starter on two of them. he still has it.

[C-Dub 0]

Osgood will go 16-0 as a starter in the playoffs and get 16 SO.

You're not a fan if you believe otherwise.

[Electrophile 3,554]

Nice bait attempt.

[Frozen-Man 144]

*shakes head*

If the wings make it past the first two rounds I'll be very surprised. That said, with our goaltending the way it is at the moment, Babs has just chosen the best of the bad.

Make that the first round.

Liek, make it they won't make the playoffs.

Oh don't be so negative. Although Kopecky did hurt his right shoulder "he doesn't believe it's serious, though, and said he might skate on Saturday." Don't worry it sounds like he will be fine come playoffs.

[Herr Hockey 0]

At this point, I have to agree with the decision. You have two goalies playing like trash, one that's played like 6 mins of playoff time and another that won 2 cups as starter. The choice is obvious. But to those who justify this whole thing by saying that it worked out with Hasek last year, I'd say that 9/10 times it doesn't work. Babcock said it himself last year. If you're changing goalies in the playoffs, you're likely fishing in a few days. Going with Hasek last year was the wrong decision because Osgood was clearly better. This year, it's a toss up. Call me pessimistic, but I don't see the Wings making it out of the 1st round so far. That being said, I think they have the potential to turn it around and be unstoppable. I know it's contradicting, but what hasn't been this season.

[EuroTwin 240]

Stop getting hurt Koko, geez.

Whatever goalie was to start in the playoffs would have my full 200% support. I hope Ozzie plays out of his mind and proves everyone who doubts him wrong. I'll be cheering him and the rest of the team every step of the way.

[IceMunkee 15]

Making a choice between Ozzy and Conk's reminds me of voting in 2004. Kerry and Bush. You basically just had to figure out which was gonna suck worse. Hopefully Babcock makes a better choice then America did.

[wingslionstigers 12]

Although Conklin has been the better goaltender all season. Babcock knows Osgood can be the better goaltender. Conklins just not mobile enough thats all there is to it. Hes a good goaltender though and has some good positioning.

Another perspective to this is that Babcock plans on taking Osgood out when things go bad. That way Conklin is pumped and knows he has to shine when he gets the chance to start to continue playing. I see that happening unless Osgood surprises me.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

At this point, it doesn't matter who the goaltender is. Howard. Ozzie. Conklin. Its all been s***ty to shoddy goaltending game in and game out with the good performances being the exceptions.

I'm past goaltending. As long as our defense can limit the shots and our offense is potent, we'll be okay. But if our skaters dont come to play, we're done.

[RedWingAbner 13]

MLive

Yeesh.

Hope spring tv is good. I can't see this team overcoming this.

[StevieY'sguy 1]

Yeesh.

Hope spring tv is good. I can't see this team overcoming this.

I agree, i am hoping that Ozzie can snap out of it and i want to think that the wings are just coasting into the plaoffs to get a bit of a rest, but unlike other years i don't see that being the case. There are just too many problems with shaky goaltending and a lackluster defense, combine that with the fact that there are multiple teams that are supremely capable of beating us in a 7 game series and i don't see us making it to the Conference finals

[Outsider 42]

At this point, I have to agree with the decision. You have two goalies playing like trash, one that's played like 6 mins of playoff time and another that won 2 cups as starter. The choice is obvious. But to those who justify this whole thing by saying that it worked out with Hasek last year, I'd say that 9/10 times it doesn't work. Babcock said it himself last year. If you're changing goalies in the playoffs, you're likely fishing in a few days. Going with Hasek last year was the wrong decision because Osgood was clearly better. This year, it's a toss up. Call me pessimistic, but I don't see the Wings making it out of the 1st round so far. That being said, I think they have the potential to turn it around and be unstoppable. I know it's contradicting, but what hasn't been this season.

Going with Hasek last year was the right decision. Osgood's stats were a bit better, but Hasek was not only a Stanley Cup Winner, but a 6 time Vezina Winner as well. It's not like he was some raw rook, with no Play Off experience.

The main difference between this year and last is that last Season, when Babcock went with Hasek, a Stanley Cup Winning goaltender, he had a SECOND Stanley Cup Winning goaltender waiting in the wings, (as it were)," just in case".

This Season, he's going with a struggling Stanley Cup Winning goaltender and hoping for the best, because all he's got in reserve is a career back up, with one embarrassing 6 minute Play Off appearance, and a piss-poor performance down the stretch, sitting on the bench.

NOT EVEN CLOSE to the same scenario.

Here's hoping not only Osgood, but the ENTIRE TEAM, pulls their heads out of their collective asses.

Because if they, (ALL of them), don't, it won't matter who's manning the pipes.

Period.

[Dominator2005 558]

I guess they go with playoff experience, fair enough, since conklin failed to take over the no.1 spot they go with osgood... time will tell if he really is the playoff goalie he can be in alot of playoffs...

If that's the case they should have signed Dryden...

[RedWingAbner 13]

If that's the case they should have signed Dryden...

You, sir, get it.

I am consistently amused that people on these boards do not understand that with age, players lose ability. Osgood is not a capable #1 anymore.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

You, sir, get it.

I am consistently amused that people on these boards do not understand that with age, players lose ability. Osgood is not a capable #1 anymore.

I think people understand this concept, it's kinda a given so it's not mentioned much. What's your alternative then if Osgood isn't a capable #1? Call up the minor league goalies with no playoff experience? You can't make trades right now. Conklin has just seconds of playoff experience and hasn't been the better of himself and Osgood lately. Osgood has extensive game playoff experience both good and bad. He's been the better of the two lately. Unless he just treads dirt these next few games off the face of the earth, he's the team's best choice for goalie.

What do you propose then?