Now that Sergei Fedorov’s #91 will finally be retired on January 12th vs. Carolina, both MLive’s Ansar Khan and Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff weighed in as to which numbers we’ll see in the rafters next.
Again, I’m a big fan of the concept of a “Ring of Honor” or “Red Wings Hall of Fame” so that the players not named Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg (who are absolute empty-net tap-ins to see their numbers #13 and #40 go to the rafters) are honored–so that units like the Grind Line (and their 14 Stanley Cup rings between the 4 players who skated on said line) and players like Tomas Holmstrom (also 4 Cups), Chris Chelios, Bob Probert, Vladimir Konstantinov, et. al. earn their places in Red Wings history…
And this afternoon, the Hockey News’s Jake Tye makes the case for Chris Osgood’s #30 to be retired:
Chris Osgood – No. 30
A three-time Stanley Cup champion and longtime goaltender for the Wings, Chris Osgood’s place in team history is significant as one of the franchise’s best netminders. His 401 career wins (317 with Detroit) and playoff heroics, include his stellar play during Detroit’s runs to Stanley Cups in 1998 and 2008. Osgood’s critics often attributed his success to playing behind a powerhouse blueline, pointing to the fact that he never won the Vezina Trophy as evidence.
However, it’s difficult to overlook his ability to rise to the occasion when it mattered most. From 1993 to 2011, Osgood recorded 74 playoff wins, the third most during that span, along with an impressive 2.09 goals against average. He also made 2,918 playoff saves, more than elite goaltenders like Dominik Hasek and Curtis Joseph, ranking fourth overall in that period.
Odds: Moderate
Continued; I’m not certain whether Osgood’s #30 will go to the rafters as he didn’t spend his entire career with the Red Wings, and being a “lifer” is a big factor in getting one’s number retired…
But #30 hasn’t been worn by anyone else yet, while we still see #18, #24, #25, #33 and #96, for example, in circulation, so there’s that.
Osgood is at least a “slam dunk” for a Ring of Honor or Red Wings Hall of Fame, should the organization be wise enough to establish one.
Only if he gets in the Hall of Fame and I think it will eventually happen. Damn that Game 7 loss in 2009, had the Wings won Osgood would already be in the HOF. Come to think of it, IMO he could’ve won the 2008 Conn Smythe. Took over for Hasek and turned the tide after Nashville tied the series 2-2. Went on to have a 14-4 record with 1.55 GAA and 3 shutouts.
While I appreciate the way Osgood played his role perfectly, I never had the feeling that his name was consistently spoken as a reason for cup wins. To me that makes a legend, and the number of times someone says, “No Fedorov, no cup.” Or, “No Gordie, no 50’s domination.” In the same breath, Sawchuk was just the goaltender that people marveled at. The innovative crouch style, and the impeccable numbers that he consistently put up during the historic runs of the 50’s. The Plantes, Hasek’s, and Sawchuk’s are a few of the elites. Chris Osgood was very good but not quite there in legend.