Why does it matter what YOU think when it comes to fear of a goaltender, especially when judging who is great. You are not the coach of an NHL team, and likely if you are afraid of any goaltender in the post-season as a coach you will not last long in the NHL.
Osgood is a goaltender who can win both in the regular season and playoffs, regardless of what team he plays for. That is why this is his first year EVER where he has had a sub-500 record. Chalk it up to the team in front of him (NYI and ST Louis were both powerhouses, right?), but he still performed when he needed to. That's why in the last two games of the finals last year he let in 2 goals and his offense let him down.
Does that make him great? Maybe. Does that make him less than good? Of course not. You don't win two cups as a starter and a Stanley Cup Finals appearance by simply being "okay". (note Osgood let in 2 goals total in the last two games of the 98 finals. In fact the only time he let in more than one goal in that series was game 3)
I did not say Osgood was "okay". Most people on here say Osgood was a good goalie. But to have watched the man play goal most of us stop right there prior to labelling him as "great". It isn't as if I am preaching on here by saying "Osgood SUCKED". If that's the case you should just turn around and ignore that post. But I give kudos to Osgood, he was a GOOD goalie. Slightly above average his whole career. That's fine, but it won't get you into the HHOF. Ask Andy Moog. Ask Pete Peeters. Ask other ones that arguably could be in there like Vernon or Barrasso.
Osgood was just never an impact goalie. Say what you want, but other teams feared Hasek, Roy, Brodeur and co. even if they didn't tell the media. Privately a coach will fear another part of a team's game, that doesn't make him a bad coach or won't make him "last long in the NHL" like you said. It makes him a better coach if anything to realize the other teams strengths and how to beat them.
The point is Osgood was never the albatross in order to beat the Red Wings. It was their team game, it was their defense, it was Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom, even Shanahan. Later on it has been Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Lidstrom not to mention they play the game the exact way they did in the '90s, like a well oiled machine. If you were able to get quality scoring chances on Osgood he was beatable for sure but getting a puck past him was not a priority.
Go through the line of goalies in the HHOF. They almost all have Cups. If not, then they have Vezinas or several 1st or 2nd team all-stars. Or all three, plus the Cups. If they have the Cups they were an integral part of their teams victory.
Fuhr, Smith, Dryden and even Barrasso all played in the playoffs at a higher level than Osgood ever did. They could steal a game. I can't think of a time where Osgood stole a game, or a series.
To see how hard it is for a goalie to get into the HHOF you have to look no further than Vernon. He was a better goalie than Osgood. He was more important to his team's victories and deep playoff runs. He has some holes, yes, but try a Vernon vs. Osgood poll and email me the results. The HHOF is extremely strict on goalies all across the board. There is not a goalie in the HHOF that causes a stir to the majority of us on here.
And there have been exactly 3 goalies inducted in the last 20years (Smith, Fuhr, Roy) despite some goalies with very good careers. Ask yourself this honestly, does Osgood belong in this category?
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