Chris Osgood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chris Osgood |
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Osgood in 2005
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| Born | November 26, 1972 Peace River, Alberta, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 178 lb (81 kg; 12 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Detroit Red Wings New York Islanders St. Louis Blues |
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| NHL Draft | 54th overall, 1991 Detroit Red Wings |
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| Playing career | 1992–2011 | ||
Christopher John Osgood (born November 26, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He is now a studio analyst and commentator for the Detroit Red Wings. Chris Osgood won three Stanley Cup championships during his career. All of his wins were with the Red Wings. He was a backup goalie for his first win and the main starting goalie for his last two. He is ranked 13th in wins in NHL regular season history with 401 victories.
Osgood played for the Red Wings for many years. He then played for the New York Islanders and the St. Louis Blues. He returned to Detroit in 2005. Fans in Detroit called him "Ozzy" or "The Wizard of Oz." They would chant "Ozzy" after he made a great save.
He was the last NHL goalie to wear an older style helmet with a separate cage. Most goalies today wear a single-piece mask. Chris Osgood is also one of only 17 goalies in NHL history to score a goal. He was one of only nine to shoot the puck directly into the opponent's net. This happened on March 6, 1996, against the Hartford Whalers.
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Chris Osgood's Hockey Journey
Chris Osgood was chosen by the Red Wings in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 54th player picked overall. He started playing in the NHL during the 1993–94 season.
Starting as a Rookie Goalie
Osgood was the fourth goalie for Detroit that season. The team traded their main goalie, Tim Cheveldae, for veteran Bob Essensa. Essensa did not play well, so Osgood became the main goalie for the playoffs. The San Jose Sharks beat the Red Wings in seven games. In the final game, Osgood made a mistake trying to clear the puck. It went to a Sharks player who scored the winning goal. Osgood was very upset after the game.
After that season, the Red Wings wanted an experienced goalie. They traded for Mike Vernon in the summer of 1994. Vernon had already won a Stanley Cup.
Early Success with Detroit
The 1994–95 season started late because of a player lockout. Osgood was the backup goalie for Mike Vernon. The Red Wings reached the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the New Jersey Devils.
In the 1995–96 season, Osgood played much more. He led the NHL with a 2.17 GAA (goals allowed per game) and 39 wins. He also had five shutouts. He and Vernon won the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league. Osgood was chosen for the NHL All-Star Game that year.
During that season, he scored a goal against the Hartford Whalers. He was only the second goalie in NHL history to score a goal by shooting the puck directly into the net.
The next season, Osgood and Vernon shared goalie duties. But in the playoffs, Vernon played most of the games and won the Conn Smythe Trophy. Osgood still got his name on the Stanley Cup when the Red Wings won their first championship in 42 years. They swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games.
After the 1997 Cup win, Vernon was traded. This made Osgood the Red Wings' number-one goalie. The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup again in 1998, sweeping the Washington Capitals. This was their second championship in a row.
On April 1, 1998, Osgood got into a fight with Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy. Osgood was the Red Wings' main goalie until 2001. Then, the Red Wings got Dominik Hašek, a famous goalie. Osgood was then picked up by the New York Islanders.
Time with the Islanders
The New York Islanders claimed Osgood on September 28, 2001. He helped the Islanders reach the playoffs in the 2001–02 season. They lost a seven-game series to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Osgood played for the Islanders until March 2003. He was then traded to the St. Louis Blues.
Playing for St. Louis
Osgood was the main goalie for the St. Louis Blues for the rest of the 2002–03 season and all of the 2003–04 season. He had winning records, but the Blues did not get far in the playoffs. His contract with St. Louis ended, and he became a free agent.
Back to Detroit
On August 8, 2005, Chris Osgood returned to the Detroit Red Wings. He signed a one-year contract. He was supposed to compete for the starting job, but he got injured. Osgood played a few games in the minor league (AHL) to get back in shape. He then returned to Detroit.
Osgood signed a new two-year contract in 2006. He shared goalie duties with Dominik Hašek again. Osgood got injured again, but he returned to play by the end of December.
The 2007–08 season was a great one for Osgood. Hašek struggled and got injured, so Osgood became the starting goalie. He had excellent stats, including a 2.09 GAA. This earned him a new contract and a spot in the 2008 NHL All-Star Game.
Winning the 2008 Stanley Cup
In the 2008 playoffs, coach Mike Babcock made Osgood the starting goalie. With Osgood in goal, the Red Wings won nine playoff games in a row. They beat the Nashville Predators, swept the Colorado Avalanche, and took a big lead against the Dallas Stars.
The Red Wings reached the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals to play the Pittsburgh Penguins. Osgood had two shutouts in a row to start the Finals. He was the fourth goalie in NHL history to do this. His final save in Game Six sealed the Stanley Cup win for the Red Wings. This was Osgood's second Stanley Cup as a starting goalie. He had a fantastic playoff record of 14 wins and 4 losses, with a 1.55 GAA.
After the Stanley Cup Win
The 2008–09 season was tough for Osgood. He struggled with injuries and pressure. He said it was the "worst" he had played in a long time. Despite his regular season struggles, his playoff experience was important. He played almost every minute of the 2009 playoffs. He had a much better performance, with 15 wins and 8 losses.
The Red Wings reached the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals again. They played the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rematch. This time, the Penguins won in seven games.
In the 2009–10 season, Osgood continued to struggle. He eventually lost his starting goalie position to rookie Jimmy Howard. Osgood played only 23 games that season.
Osgood had better stats in the 2010-11 NHL season. On December 27, 2010, he earned his 400th career victory. He became only the 10th goalie in NHL history to reach this milestone. The Red Wings won that game in overtime. On July 19, 2011, Chris Osgood announced his retirement from playing ice hockey. He stayed with the Red Wings to help develop young goalies.
Life After Playing Hockey
On September 9, 2013, Chris Osgood became a studio analyst for Fox Sports Detroit (now Bally Sports Detroit). He gives analysis during games. He also sometimes works as a commentator for road games.
In 2016, Osgood became a part-owner of the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit team. He also works as a consultant for the team's goalies.
Career Highlights
Chris Osgood had a very successful career. Here are some of his achievements:
- Member of the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings – 1997, 1998, 2008. He was the starting goalie in 1998 and 2008.
- Won the William M. Jennings Trophy twice (shared with Mike Vernon in 1996 and with Dominik Hašek in 2008).
- Is 13th all-time in wins by an NHL goaltender.
- Is 9th in all-time playoff wins.
- Is tied for 5th in all-time playoff shutouts.
- Played in the 1996 NHL All-Star Game and the 2008 NHL All-Star Game.
- Named to the NHL All-Star second team after the 1995–96 season.
- Led the NHL in goals against average (GAA) in 2008 (regular season and playoffs).
- Led the NHL in wins in 1996.
- Scored a goal against the Hartford Whalers on March 6, 1996.
- Became only the 10th goalie in NHL history to reach 400 wins on December 27, 2010.
Images for kids
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Osgood before Game 4 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals
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Osgood during Game 6 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals
