Another Retirement

So here we are about a week later, talking about the Red Wings….this time it’s Kris Draper, hanging up his NHL career after 20 seasons, 17 of them with Detroit. (The other three were with Winnipeg, the ORIGINAL Winnipeg!) Draper played on all four of Detroit’s recent Stanley Cup teams.

What a sad way to end it, the end of your contract, and to find that you’re only being offered a two-way contract for one season to come back, which means you have to play your way back on the team. Just like Maltby the year before, both players have met the end of the line the classic way, you’re old and all the 20 year olds are playing better and faster than you are. But hats off to a Red Wing that played 1,137 games with Detroit, that’s 5^th all time for the team. Glad Draper decided to retire like Ozzy and go home to his family.

Farewell to Chris Osgood

I would like to bid a well deserved farewell to Chris Osgood, longtime goalie of the Detroit Red Wings.

Osgood was a member of the Red Wings for 14 seasons, starting in 1993. He helped them to Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998, and 2008. In his career he won 401 games, had 50 shutouts, and is one of only 5 NHL goaltenders to have actually scored a goal.
As the Red Wings have slowly grown older, we've seen old heroes sign off after long tenures with the team.
Maltby, Chelios, McCarty, Rafalski, the list goes on. Lidstrom and Holmstrom are nearing the end of the line, and Draper may be done. I guess Ozzy decided it was time to go. At 38 years old, I don't blame him. He wants to spend time with his family I'm sure, they're not going to be there forever, and his kids wouldn't be kids anymore if he retired at 41 or something. This is a smart move by an aging goaltender, part of it likely had to do with the firm job Jimmy Howard has done since arriving. Joey MacDonald is also a backup, and the Wings can certainly find another from the Griffins or elsewhere.
This past season certainly wasn't the best for Ozzy, and I have first hand proof. I was at the game where he was supposed to win his 400th, against Dallas on december 19th. It was a struggle throughout the night for him, eventually losing in overtime, leaving the entire arena dissapointed. The few games he played, (only 11 of them) weren't the best, a 2.77 GAA can tell that story.
Though, a GOOD memory of him was game one of the 2009 Cup Finals against the Penguins. (I don't know how I was possibly that lucky, to be able to go to a finals game)

There he is, in goal during the opening faceoff, a night which I'll never forget. The Wings won 3-1.



So I would like to congratulate Osgood on a great career, and thank him for some great memories. If he isn't quite hall of fame worthy, look for a #30 banner hanging from the rafters of Joe Louis. You never know......