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talex

MVP - Ozzie or Hank

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I think Dan Cleary should at least get some mention. He's had some TIMELY goals this post season (including the game winner tonight) and is a playoff high +18! That's 4 more than Z at #2. He also has 9 goals & 15 points... not great but not bad either. I think if he has a big game or another timely goal in Gm 6 or 7 (if nec) we should be deciding between him and Zetterberg for the Conn Smythe.

But Z has been incredible in the finals. I would've said Ozzie coming in to this series, but Zetterberg is far and away the leader in my mind.

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This is the Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP, not Stanley Cup Finals MVP, I'm still four rounds of hockey, still saying Ozzie.

Thats fine and all, and I agree to a certain extent, but shutting out Columbus in the 1st round doesn't carrry as much weight as shutting down Sidney Crosby does in round 4. I agree that Osgood has been the most consistent player on the ice throughout the playoffs, but I think a lot of people are going to be doubting that Osgood comes away with less than 1 goal against at home if Hank isnt there. And I think a lot of people are going to be looking at the away games, where Ozzie averaged 3.5 goals against, and say "look what happens when Zetterberg isn't shadowing Crosby all game because of last change." I'm not saying that the goals against have been Ozzies fault - the porous defense says a lot - but I think Ozzie lost his case (albeit temporarily) by not saving the game for the Wings when they fell apart.

Again, I'm not taking anything away from Ozzie, but like NN said, the Finals do and should hold the most weight. The job that Zetterberg has, and the way he has performed it has been otherworldy. When you 1) look at the pace Crosby and Malkin were on prior to the finals; 2) consider that Hank is shadowing Crosby, not Malkin; and 3) Look at how Crosby's points (3) compare to Malkin's (7), I think the picture you're left with is "the difference between Malkin and Crosby scoring is Zetterberg, not Osgood." If Malkin had been held to as few points as Crosby, I think that would put Ozzie over Hank, but the fact that Crosby has been stifled against Zetterberg and Malkin, who has been facing off against lesser centers has racked up an impressive number of points leaves one to wonder what Crosby's statsheet would look like if he wasn't facing off against one of the best shutdown centers in the NHL.

And finally, I'm actually pulling for Ozzy to win the Conn Smythe. I think it would be an awesome story given how his regular season went, and I think its just what he needs to put him over the edge for the HHOF. But do consider that you can score 35 points in the playoffs as a forward and STILL not win the Conn Smythe if your team doesn't come out on top. That alone speaks volumes as to heavily weight the Finals is.

Edited by YoungGuns1340

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I still think it goes to Osgood. Let's not forget who the 1st star of the game was in 1 and 2. Z has been great in the finals, but Osgood stood on his head over and over and made huge in games 1 and 2. Then the shutout tonight. Plus he got us here. We'll see how the next game or two go, but I think it'd be hard to not give it to Osgood. Zetterberg hasn't looked like the player he was last year even in this series.

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Thats fine and all, and I agree to a certain extent, but shutting out Columbus in the 1st round doesn't carrry as much weight as shutting down Sidney Crosby does in round 4. I agree that Osgood has been the most consistent player on the ice throughout the playoffs, but I think a lot of people are going to be doubting that Osgood comes away with less than 1 goal against at home if Hank isnt there. And I think a lot of people are going to be looking at the away games, where Ozzie averaged 3.5 goals against, and say "look what happens when Zetterberg isn't shadowing Crosby all game because of last change." I'm not saying that the goals against have been Ozzies fault - the porous defense says a lot - but I think Ozzie lost his case (albeit temporarily) by not saving the game for the Wings when they fell apart.

Again, I'm not taking anything away from Ozzie, but like NN said, the Finals do and should hold the most weight. The job that Zetterberg has, and the way he has performed it has been otherworldy. When you 1) look at the pace Crosby and Malkin were on prior to the finals; 2) consider that Hank is shadowing Crosby, not Malkin; and 3) Look at how Crosby's points (3) compare to Malkin's (7), I think the picture you're left with is "the difference between Malkin and Crosby scoring is Zetterberg, not Osgood." If Malkin had been held to as few points as Crosby, I think that would put Ozzie over Hank, but the fact that Crosby has been stifled against Zetterberg and Malkin, who has been facing off against lesser centers has racked up an impressive number of points leaves one to wonder what Crosby's statsheet would look like if he wasn't facing off against one of the best shutdown centers in the NHL.

And finally, I'm actually pulling for Ozzy to win the Conn Smythe. I think it would be an awesome story given how his regular season went, and I think its just what he needs to put him over the edge for the HHOF. But do consider that you can score 35 points in the playoffs as a forward and STILL not win the Conn Smythe if your team doesn't come out on top. That alone speaks volumes as to heavily weight the Finals is.

I hear what you're saying and all, but I think we're forgetting how great Osgood was in games 1 and 2. Again, he got the 1st star both nights when the Penguins outplayed and out shot us and he stood on his head. Z following guys around isn't the only thing that gets in their heads. How do you think these guys felt about being held to 1 goal in games 1 and 2 when you outplayed and out shot the Wings? That's going to hang in Crosby's head too.

The team in front of Osgood crumbled in game 4; there's little he could have done about that. Osgood looked pretty impressive in the 3rd in game 4 as well to give us a chance should our offense find a way to sneak one in.

And again, it was all Wings tonight, but Osgood did get a shutout in the process and held the surging Penguins off early in the game for us to get the start in the scoring. And even that 3rd goal tonight which was the back-breaker for the Pens was setup by Osgood.

Again, Hanks been great in the finals, but even given that, he was a much stronger player on both ends last year throughout the playoffs. This year, that consistent strong player has been Osgood and he's hardly been a slouch in the finals. I think it's going to Osgood.

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I still think it goes to Osgood. Let's not forget who the 1st star of the game was in 1 and 2. Z has been great in the finals, but Osgood stood on his head over and over and made huge in games 1 and 2. Then the shutout tonight. Plus he got us here. We'll see how the next game or two go, but I think it'd be hard to not give it to Osgood. Zetterberg hasn't looked like the player he was last year even in this series.

Meaningless, IMO. Z wasn't a star in either game, and those two games are precisely what put Z ahead of Oz for me. Oz got to make 30 saves and only give up 1 goal, but Z didn't get any sort of fancy stat for what he did to Crosby. Zetterberg has gone head to head against the opposition's best from game 1 and has come out on top every single round. Defensively he's been better than he was last year and offensively he's only 3 points off of what he put up last year.

21GP 11G 13A 24P +14

22GP 13G 14A 27P +16

The head to head battle with Crosby, who was tearing the playoffs apart to the tune of 14G 14A 28P +14 in 17 games, will be the tipping point. 2G 4A 6P +4 for Z vs 1G 2A 3P -2 for Sid.

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come on, Detroit has not seen a goaltending performance as powerful as this one over a finals run since Vernon did it in 97. Ozzy has been huge at key moments over the four rounds and as clutch as we as fans could ever ask for. Vernon won it then and the Wizard should take it in '09. Gotta love the fight from Z, of course we couldn't win without him, but every Red Wing played a role in these playoffs, and Osgood has proved himself as the best goalie that played in these playoffs, from any team. Everybody knows that goaltender is the most important position for a hockey club, just ask Babcock. Oz earned it, and we have this guy for another few years too! lovin it, he is finally gonna get his props!

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come on, Detroit has not seen a goaltending performance as powerful as this one over a finals run since Vernon did it in 97. Ozzy has been huge at key moments over the four rounds and as clutch as we as fans could ever ask for. Vernon won it then and the Wizard should take it in '09. Gotta love the fight from Z, of course we couldn't win without him, but every Red Wing played a role in these playoffs, and Osgood has proved himself as the best goalie that played in these playoffs, from any team. Everybody knows that goaltender is the most important position for a hockey club, just ask Babcock. Oz earned it, and we have this guy for another few years too! lovin it, he is finally gonna get his props!

Funny you should mention Vernon's Conn Smythe from '97. Fedorov should have gotten that one.

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To be honest, I think many other goalies could have taken us this far in the playoffs. But I'm not sure we would have done it without Z.

Many other goalies could have taken us this far in the playoffs ?

What does that mean ?

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Many other goalies could have taken us this far in the playoffs ?

What does that mean ?

Well, there are several other goalies out there that, in my opinion, could have made the saves ozzie has made. I don't think there is one player in the league that is capable of shutting down Crosby the way Z has.

Edited by Jocke

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Osgood gets my vote. Z is a close 2nd. I'm suprised Oz flipped a switch the way he did, cause i thought he was done during the regular season, I remember critisizing him.

Edited by Probie

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Such a tough one to call - it really is a flip of the coin. Before the finals I said Hank might steal it if he repeats his Amazing-Disappearing-Crosby trick of last year, and right now that may have propelled him in front of Ozzie in the minds of the voters (and is the most recent in their memory).

Of course, we still need to win 1 more first, otherwise its going to Malkin.

But me personally, I hope Ozzie wins it, because it makes his jersey retirement/HHOF argument infinitely stronger.

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I have to say Ozzie. I knowPavs isn't one of the choices and can't win because he didn't put up the numbers but he proved last night that he is a major key to this teams success.

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