Am I the only one who finds this ridiculous ?

[interminded 1]

Why is Mike Babcock not playing Chris Osgood on the second game of a back-to-back ?

This is flatout humiliating for a goaltender of Ozzie's caliber. What is he thinking ?

Babcock is showing once more that he's mediocre at best when it comes to the 'human' side of coaching.

Why would consciously render you second goaltender useless by sitting him this ******* long ?????

This will backfire someday..

Besides that, I think.. KNOW that Chris Osgood has some wins in him.

Don't treat him like there's sitting some snot nosed college goaltender on the bench.

[cupforwings 138]

IMO he should play Howard for the fact that he is much more likely to get a win tonight... Ozzy has been screwed this year, no doubt, but at this point experimenting with a very very cold goaltender would most likely backfire... If we would have won last night, I'm sure Babacock would have played Ozzy tonight, but oh well, what's done is done and all the chips are on Howard to get us into the playoffs.

[Guest mindfly]

Because babcock doesn't trust Osgood, simple as that. I wouldn't trust Osgood either if the rumours floating around are true....

Edited March 20, 2010 by mindfly

[8 Legged RedWing 367]

While in some ways I definitely agree he still has a few wins in him, the race is so tight that you have to go with the goalie you think on that very night has the greater percentage chance of winning you the hockey game. And most times this season it has been Howard. Besides, in his past four games, Howard is 3-0-1 giving up no more then 2 goals each game... He is playing very well right now when we need it.

[Travis 576]

I see where you're coming from, but Howard is our #1. Simple as that.

[cupforwings 138]

Because babcock doesn't trust Osgood, simple as that. I wouldn't trust Osgood either if the rumours floating around are true....

What rumors are you referring to?

[Guest mindfly]

What rumors are you referring to?

Alcoholic and whatnot....

[Cheveldae32 32]

If anything I would have rather seen Ozzy play last night against Edm and Jimmy tonight

[mackel 674]

Because babcock doesn't trust Osgood, simple as that. I wouldn't trust Osgood either if the rumours floating around are true....

What rumours dish, DISH... I love a good rumour and I'm out of the loop on this!!

[interminded 1]

Alcoholic and whatnot....

Chris Osgood an alcoholic ?

Oh sir... you really have a vivid imagination..

"and whatnot" ??

So he's probably smoking a crackpipe as well ?

And he's wanted in 8 states ?

He owns money to the Russian mob ?

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Alcoholic? UM, NO.

If that was the case he wouldn't be on the Wings or any team for that matter.

When Babs said in the interview after the game last night that Howie was starting, I was baffled. What a slap in the face. Wasn't it two weeks ago he had a meeting with Oz and told him he'd be playing him real soon and that he should 'run with it.' Ridiculous. If the Wings make the playoffs and for some reason Howard falters, is Ozzie just suppose to go in and save the day from not playing for two months or so? Common freaking sense. It doesn't work that way.

[Guest mindfly]

And the rumours also said the "timeout" he got last season from ken holland was to save his marriage and stop the drinking etc...

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

Babcock just hasn't done a good job of coaching this season, most glaringly with this goaltending fiasco.

If Howard plays every game the rest of the way and we make the playoffs, what then? Are we going to play a tired Howard in the playoffs, or give Ozzie a playoff start after not having played for 2 months?

Babcock should have played Ozzie last night and Howard tonight. Instead, he keeps piling on starts on his tired rookie goaltender.

Also, you have to wonder what effect this is having on the rest of the team. They're not robots, so this has to be getting to their heads too.

Edited March 20, 2010 by GMRwings1983

[Travis 576]

Babcock just hasn't done a good job of coaching this season, most glaringly with this goaltending fiasco.

If Howard plays every game the rest of the way and we make the playoffs, what then? Are we going to play a tired Howard in the playoffs, or give Ozzie a playoff start after not having played for 2 months?

Babcock should have played Ozzie last night and Howard tonight. Instead, he keeps piling on starts on his tired rookie goaltender.

Also, you have to wonder what effect this is having on the rest of the team. They're not robots, so this has to be getting to their heads too.

But there's also the argument that you have to play who's hot. It's all we can do to pull out eighth, we can't afford to play a goaltender that's been inconsistent.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Babcock just hasn't done a good job of coaching this season, most glaringly with this goaltending fiasco.

If Howard plays every game the rest of the way and we make the playoffs, what then? Are we going to play a tired Howard in the playoffs, or give Ozzie a playoff start after not having played for 2 months?

Babcock should have played Ozzie last night and Howard tonight. Instead, he keeps piling on starts on his tired rookie goaltender.

Also, you have to wonder what effect this is having on the rest of the team. They're not robots, so this has to be getting to their heads too.

Exactly what I was saying earlier today to a friend. I understand that he wanted to get Howard to play a bunch and finally get him going in the NHL but this is too much. He's playing him as much as freaking Brodeur plays, if not more. All this on a ROOKIE. He's going to tire out sooner or later and it won't be pretty. It's going to all come down to Ozzie and he hasn't played in months. Then of course EVERYONE will expect him to be amazing cause he's a veteran but that has nothing to do with it. In order to be good you gotta play. Doesn't matter who you are. Sitting on the bench and charting faceoffs doesn't do a goalie any good. Especially one of Osgood's caliber.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

But there's also the argument that you have to play who's hot. It's all we can do to pull out eighth, we can't afford to play a goaltender that's been inconsistent.

Yeah, but it's not like Howard has won 8 games in a row and is standing on his head while we're getting outshot 4 to 1 in all these games.

I realize we have to make the playoffs before worrying about the playoffs, but Howard has looked tired since the All Star break, and if he plays every game to the end, that has to affect him in those late games.

[zettie85 106]

Everybody acts like we are the only team that rides a starting goalie. I wonder how other goalies deal with so many starts? Jimmy probably wants to start every night. He just had a 2 week break as well. If we make the playoffs and Jimmy falters, then you can complain because like it was mentioned before all of the chips are on Jimmy. Ozzie is no longer a fallback plan. If Jimmy burns out well there is always next year. Jimmy burning out has been an argument all year as well and I still have yet to see it.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

But there's also the argument that you have to play who's hot. It's all we can do to pull out eighth, we can't afford to play a goaltender that's been inconsistent.

How can he can be inconsistent when he hasn't played? And earlier this season when he strung together some wins, Babs still went with Jimmy.

[zettie85 106]

Exactly what I was saying earlier today to a friend. I understand that he wanted to get Howard to play a bunch and finally get him going in the NHL but this is too much. He's playing him as much as freaking Brodeur plays, if not more. All this on a ROOKIE. He's going to tire out sooner or later and it won't be pretty. It's going to all come down to Ozzie and he hasn't played in months. Then of course EVERYONE will expect him to be amazing cause he's a veteran but that has nothing to do with it. In order to be good you gotta play. Doesn't matter who you are. Sitting on the bench and charting faceoffs doesn't do a goalie any good. Especially one of Osgood's caliber.

I agree with your first statement and do think Ozzie should have had a couple more but Broduer is an old fart. If he can play 70+, I think Jimmy could handle it. Putting this load on him I think can only be positive. I can't think of another time, outside of playing for Maine, where Jimmy's confidence has been so high.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

woah, a possible 60+ starts for Howard! how can this rookie kid handle such a workload, it's not like other goalies in the nhl ever play more than 50 games a season

he'll be dead tired by the playoffs. damn it babcock

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I don't get it at all and I never will. I feel awful for Ozzie and am way past frustrated with Babcock's handling of the goaltenders this season. He did it all wrong and it's going to haunt the Red Wings either by Howard burning out, or faltering down the stretch/playoffs and we can't go back to Ozzie because Babcock never gives him a start.

Just let Jimmy play every game the rest of the way at this point. Babcock has humiliated Ozzie enough and one lousy start isn't going to change anything.

[Swayze 81]

Ozzie's been brutal on the road, and the Wings NEED at least one point, end of story.

[Zetts 236]

Why is Mike Babcock not playing Chris Osgood on the second game of a back-to-back ?

This is flatout humiliating for a goaltender of Ozzie's caliber. What is he thinking ?

Babcock is showing once more that he's mediocre at best when it comes to the 'human' side of coaching.

Why would consciously render you second goaltender useless by sitting him this ******* long ?????

This will backfire someday..

Besides that, I think.. KNOW that Chris Osgood has some wins in him.

Don't treat him like there's sitting some snot nosed college goaltender on the bench.

I think that this got humiliating for Osgood a while ago. I doubt that Osgood feels any more or less humiliated now - I'm sure he expected not to play tonight. And it was definitely obvious when he didn't play against Edmonton that he wouldn't be playing again.

I agree with you though, it seems unfair.

There has to be something else behind this story that we don't know. Babcock isn't stupid.

[Dominator2005 558]

Because babcock doesn't trust Osgood, simple as that. I wouldn't trust Osgood either if the rumours floating around are true....

What rumours???

[Guest lilja4mvp]

good call by babcock. osgood is beyond brutal at this point.