Osgood? No way.
I honestly have no idea where you’re gettin any of this. It’s massively overrating Osgood while underrating the HHOF defense of the Lidstrom-era Red Wings.
Detroit-based media, local, national and blogger, have been pushing that line with one voice by playing games with the data since his retirement (nobody said this prior). Made it into the national conversation via Michigan-based
the Hockey News hack Ken Campbell and other people picked it up through osmosis, without really considering the specifics of his HHOF case.
I'm with you. Osgood wasn't considered anything more than an average starter since Bowman pulled him for Vernon almost 25 years ago (with the Islanders, he was rightly considered dog ****). Vezina voting has reflected this and his salary has reflected this. If you look hard enough, you can find articles from 10 or 12 years ago in which Wings personnel say they don't feel they need more than a "dependable" goaltender, rather than an elite one, and praise Osgood for his consistency
and his inexpensiveness.
Speaking of Vernon, he's another average goaltender with multiple cups, winning his second after he was over the hill. So, the idea that average goalies don't win 2 cups as starter is not correct, either.