Chris Osgood is a legitimate Conn Smythe Trophy candidate. (Carlos Osorio/Associated Press)Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood and general manager Ken Holland have known each other for more than two decades.
And if Osgood isn't considered a Hall of Famer by the time he retires, Holland will be surprised.
"He is certainly making a case," Holland said.
No doubt.
Osgood helped Detroit beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 Sunday night, taking a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup final.
Game 3 goes Tuesday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 8 p.m. ET).
Osgood improved to 10-2 in 13 post-season appearances this spring, lowered his goals-against average to 1.47 and raised his save percentage to .937.
"I think he is playing the best hockey of his career," Holland said.
No other goalie in the past 20 years has a better record in his first 12 playoff games, according to sports data company STATS.
Martin Brodeur, who backstopped the New Jersey Devils to Stanley Cups in 1995 and 2000, won nine of his first dozen.
He is 15-9 lifetime in the Stanley Cup final, a fraction behind Hall of Famer Patrick Roy at 14-8.
But they both still trail Osgood.
Osgood had an NHL-best 1.55 GAA during the playoffs last year, when he helped the Red Wings hoist the Stanley Cup one decade after being their No. 1 goalie during the 1998 championship season.
He has been pretty good in the regular season, too, even though he gave up more than three goals per game for the first time in his 15 NHL seasons.
Osgood, from Peace River, Alta., has won 389 games in the regular season, tying him with former teammate Dominik Hasek for 10th on the all-time list and trailing Brodeur and Curtis Joseph of the Toronto Maple Leafs among active goalies.
By the time Osgood's current contract expires in two years, he will have a chance to pass Hall of Famers Jacques Plante, Tony Esposito, Glenn Hall and Grant Fuhr on the wins list.
"When I'm done playing, I will look back at what I have done," Osgood said. "Players always get appreciated more when they're retired than actually still playing."
'It is a fun place to play'
Osgood seems to be the perfect example.
When Detroit wins, his contributions rarely are highlighted.
When Detroit loses, he often takes the blame.
Does he get enough respect?
"That is something that has been overplayed," he said. "It is not a tough place to play goal — it is a fun place to play."
After Osgood hangs up his skates for good — and that likely won't be anytime soon — his body of work will be put to the test by those who enshrine hockey's best.
Holland has a rebuttal waiting for critics who discount Osgood's accomplishments because he plays for a dominant franchise.
"I chuckle when I hear people say, 'Well, he just plays on a good team,'" Holland said. "Does everybody think the Hall of Fame goalies played on bad teams and Osgood is the only guy who played on a good team?"
