Osgood, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Detroit Red Wings, is the only goalie in NHL history to win more than 400 games (401) and lose fewer than 250.
The Red Wings selected Osgood in the third round (No. 54) of the 1991 NHL Draft after his second season with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League. He turned pro with Adirondack of the American Hockey League in 1992-93 and was part of Detroit's goalie rotation in 1993-94, finishing 23-8 with five ties, a 2.86 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. However, his rookie season ended painfully when a giveaway in the third period of Game 7 led to the series-deciding goal that gave the San Jose Sharks an upset win in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Osgood, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Detroit Red Wings, is the only goalie in NHL history to win more than 400 games (401) and lose fewer than 250.
The Red Wings selected Osgood in the third round (No. 54) of the 1991 NHL Draft after his second season with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League. He turned pro with Adirondack of the American Hockey League in 1992-93 and was part of Detroit's goalie rotation in 1993-94, finishing 23-8 with five ties, a 2.86 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. However, his rookie season ended painfully when a giveaway in the third period of Game 7 led to the series-deciding goal that gave the San Jose Sharks an upset win in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
But Osgood showed no ill effects the following season, going 14-5-0 to help the Red Wings advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. He led the NHL with 39 wins in 1995-96, when the Red Wings set an NHL record with 62 victories, and even scored a goal March 6, 1996, when he shot the puck into an empty net against the Hartford Whalers. He and Mike Vernon shared the net in 1996-97, but Vernon started in the playoffs and won all 16 games when the Red Wings ended their 42-year championship drought.
However, Vernon was traded to the San Jose Sharks on Aug. 18, 1997, leaving Osgood as the starter. He responded by helping the Red Wings repeat as champions, finishing 16-6 with a 2.12 GAA and .918 save percentage in the playoffs.
Osgood continued to win with the Red Wings until 2001-02, when he was claimed by the New York Islanders in the NHL Waiver Draft. The Red Wings had signed Dominik Hasek and were unable to protect three goalies.
The Islanders hadn't made the playoffs since 1994, but with Osgood winning 32 games, they returned to the postseason in 2002. However, goaltending prospect Rick DiPietro was almost ready for the NHL, and the Islanders traded Osgood to the St. Louis Blues on March 11, 2003.
Osgood helped the Blues reach the postseason in 2003 and 2004, but they lost in the first round each time. The Blues didn't re-sign him, and he returned to the Red Wings when they signed him Aug. 8, 2005. He split time with Manny Legace and then with Hasek, who was the starter when Detroit began the 2008 playoffs. However, coach Mike Babcock turned to Osgood after Hasek was the loser in Games 3 and 4 of the first round against the Nashville Predators. He went 14-4 with a 1.55 GAA to carry the Red Wings to their fourth championship in 12 years.
Though Osgood struggled for much of the 2008-09 season, he was the starter when the playoffs began and got the Red Wings within one win of another championship. They lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rematch of the 2008 Cup Final, but Osgood again excelled in the postseason, finishing 15-8 with a 2.01 GAA.
Osgood was largely a backup for his final two NHL seasons, but he became the 10th goalie in League history to win 400 games when he matched his NHL career high of 46 saves in a 4-3 overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 27, 2010.
Osgood retired after the 2010-11 season, finishing 401-216-29 and 66 ties, a 2.49 GAA, .905 save percentage and 50 shutouts. In the playoffs, he was 74-49 with a 2.09 GAA and .916 save percentage.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- WHL East Second All-Star Team (1991)
- NHL Second All-Star Team (1996)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1996, 2008)
- Claimed by NY Islanders from Detroit in Waiver Draft, September 28, 2001.
- Traded to St. Louis by NY Islanders with NY Islanders' 3rd round pick (Konstantin Barulin) in 2003 NHL Draft for Justin Papineau and St. Louis' 2nd round pick (Jeremy Colliton) in 2003 NHL Draft, March 11, 2003.
- Signed as a free agent by Detroit, August 8, 2005.
- Officially announced his retirement, July 19, 2011.