I hate how exclusive it is. The retired numbers exist, because one can't imagine another player wearing this number. It bothers me greatly seeing someone other than Larionov and Shanahan wear 8 and 14, and I hope I will not see anybody ever wear 91, 96, and 16.
Ozzy does not deserve to be on the rafters, AINEC. The guy cost us more Cups (94, 96, 00) then he won (98, 08).
94, 96, 00?
In 1994, Osgood was light years better than Essensa. He started game one and allowed five goals. Osgood played the next game and got a shutout, and allowed two goals the following game. He was pulled in game 5 after a bad start (only to see Essensa give up 4 more goals), but came back in game 6 to allow only a single goal. Had he not made a ROOKIE MISTAKE, AS A ROOKIE, then he only allows two goals in game 7. The Detroit team that had averaged 4.17 goals per game through game 6, never scoring fewer than three, suddenly manages to only score two in game 7. Less than half of their average for the first six games, and barely more than half of the actual series average after seven games. Had the Wings won the final game 3-2, Detroit averages 4 goals exactly.
So placing the blame on Osgood for 1994 is incorrect.
In 1996, Osgood was one of the team's better players. And in the Colorado series, the Avs outscored the Wings 20-16 over six games. Colorado also scored an empty netter in their 4-2 win in game 4, meaning that Detroit scored 16 on Roy, and Colorado scored 19 on Osgood. Game six was a 4-1 Colorado win; going into that game each goaltender had given up 15 goals in 5 games. In all of Colorado's wins, Detroit scored 2 or fewer goals.
The problem was not Osgood, unless you think "not playing as well as Patrick Roy" means "submarining the team's Cup chances".
And in 2000, Osgood gave up 2, 2, 1, 3, and 4 goals in the five games against Colorado. Even with the big game at the end, it's still only 12 goals in 5 games, and 2.4 goals per game (by games, not minutes). Meanwhile, Detroit scored 0, 1, 3, 2, 2. That's only 1.6 goals per game.
Let's compare for a second.
Mike Vernon gave up 2, 3, 4, 5 in four games against New Jersey. In the third game he allowed four in only half a game and was pulled for Osgood, who allowed 1 in slightly more than the time Vernon saw that game. So in 3.5 games, Vernon gave up 14 goals. That's 3.5 goals per game (by game played) or close to four (by minutes). Far worse than anything you have condemned Osgood with.
Now, let's look at Hasek's Cup win on the "best roster ever":
He gave up 15 goals in six games against Vancouver in the first round, including 4 goals in each of the first two games (putting the Wings down 0-2) and the sixth game (the Wings' offense bailed him out).
In 2007, Hasek gave up 14 goals in six games against Anaheim after giving up only nine against San Jose and ten against Calgary. All three teams scored 258 goals in the regular season; why did he turn (in relative terms) into a doormat against Anaheim?
And we all know about 2008; when Osgood had to bail the Wings out after Hasek pulled a Cloutier.
I'd love for it to be less exclusive though. But before Dats and Z go up, I hope to see Feds and Kelly there.
Feds and Kelly definitely deserve it, and I think they should put Aurie up officially as his number was officially retired (applying the HHOF standards to him 40 years later is BS; he was considered the best player in franchise history by the franchise when he retired. They didn't retire another number until Gordie Howe, even though Syd Howe was the all-time points leader and spent a great portion of his career as a Wing.
Osgood also deserves it. He was the second-most important player in one Cup win, most important player in another Finals appearance, and arguably top-three in another Cup win. Sawchuk, and Delvecchio arguably can't even claim that, given Howe, Kelly, Lindsay, and Abel. Zetterberg can't claim it (yet). Neither can Datsyuk (not even close). Yzerman, Lidstrom, Howe, and Lindsay are the only retired players who can claim the same level of importance through Cup wins and Finals runs. Fedorov and Kelly as additional players who are not retired. Between Cup Finals/wins importance and career RS success in Detroit, Osgood is extremely deserving of having his number retired when compared to anyone else who has been a Wing; even other retired players.
That's it.
So hang #4, #6, #30, and #91. Maybe in five to ten years we'll see one or both of #13 and #40.
Knowing Holland, we'll probably see #27 and #93 go up.