Is Osgood a Hall of Famer?

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I've heard this question tossed around this town many a time, and there seems to be a divide, at least locally, on the issue here. Is Christopher Osgood a hall of fame goaltender? Or is he just a guy that was lucky enough to play in Detroit during this dominant stretch of 19 playoff seasons? In my opinion, he is indeed, a hall of fame goalie.

Let's take a gander at Mr. Osgood's resume. Three-time Stanley Cup champion, 400 career wins, 50 career shutouts, .905 save percentage, and a very respectable 2.49 goals against average. Oh and he scored a goal against the Hartford Whalers. That is a pretty damn good resume for any goalie, if you ask me.

I mean check out the list of other goalies on this list here, Osgood joins the likes of Patrick Roy, Terry Sawchuk and Martin Brodeur in the exclusive 400 win club. Only 10 goalies have achieved this goal. Read that list twice if you have to, Ozzie is in some elite company. Also take note that Dominick Hasek is at 389. The two-time Stanley Cup champion, the six-time Vezna trophy winner for best goaltender, three-time Jennings Award winner for fewest goals allowed (in 08 he split it with Osgood,) the two-time Pearson award winner for most outstanding player and the two-time Hart trophy winner for league's Most Valuable Player, has 11 fewer wins than our own Chris Osgood. I will admit, Dom had to play for Buffalo, who wasn't good at all while Dom was there and he carried that team, but just think about it. The Dominator, who was arguably the best goalie in the League during his prime, has fewer wins than Chris Osgood. Dom will be a Hall of Famer, of that I have no doubt, so then shouldn't Osgood be one too?

But alas, there are two sides to every argument, so let me play a little devil's advocate here for a moment...

Put Osgood on another team. Does he get 400? Well he had four seasons away from the Winged Wheel, and he wasn't totally bad. He went 84-67-20 in his four seasons not in Detroit. Not too shabby, if you ask me. But not great either. Osgood has never been considered one of the elite in the league, his success is often credited to the fact that he plays in Detroit, where frankly you will face about 20 shots a game on a good day. A Wing goalie just have to stop what he faces, and never really has to be outstanding.

Ozzie was decent to good is when not in Detroit, but he wasn't anything special. If he didn't play the majority of his career here, there's no way he gets 400 wins. Put him on the Buffalo team Dom played for and I bet he struggles.

Osgood won the Jennings trophy in 08, but other than that doesn't have any hardware to solidify his career and resume as a hall of fame goalie. Three Stanley Cups is three more than many hockey players, but in 97 it was Vernon's team. 98 he is called the worst starting goalie to ever win the stanley cup. 08 was his most impressive cup, but Osgood never really stole a game in that postseason. He turned the Wings around when he came in for Dom, but he never stole games the way a Brodeur would.

But at the end of the day, only one thing matters: The numbers. If Osgood had been short of 400 at the end of his career, I legitimately think he would not be elected into the hockey hall of fame. Achieving this amazing feat I think is the difference between Osgood, Detroit legend, and Osgood, Hall of Famer.

If you scroll down in this link, you will see a comparison between Osgood and other Hall of Fame goalies, makes a compelling argument for him to be in.

Congrats go to Chris Osgood on joining such elite company and getting his 400th career victory. Ozzie is a great hockey player and an even better man, and he deserves this 400th win. Say what you will about Ozzie, but he's in the exclusive 400 win club, and it may be awhile before another goalie joins him.

Magical Number 400