Chris Osgood

Chris Osgood will most likely be traded. The Wings could probably get more
trade value from Legace, but I’m pretty sure Osgood will be the one to go,
but it probably won’t be until the season starts. Here’s why.

Right now, there are very few teams who actually need a $3 million goalie. However, once the season starts, that situation may change. Why? Many teams have goalies that are inexperienced and may flop like Boucher did. Some teams have goalies that aren’t that good. Some teams have goalies who may have their play slowed by injury, or who played somewhat inconsistently last year. All the goalies of the teams listed have at least a little
potential to flop. Here is a list of teams that have a potential problem in goal.

Philly- Cechmanek possible sophomore slump

San Jose- Nabokov slumped at end of season; Kiprusoff unproven

Pittsburgh- Hedberg possible slump

Buffalo- Biron unproven as starter

St. Louis- Braithewaite unproven

Vancouver- Cloutier not a great goalie

NYI- DiPietro unproven, Snow not great

Calgary- Turek streaky

Chicago- Thibault not great

Minnesota- possible slump for Fernandez

LA- Potvin streaky

Phoenix- Burke tailed off at end of season

Anaheim- Shields has been streaky in past

Florida- Luongo possible sophomore slump

NYR- Richter uncertain, no clear #1 after him

Atlanta- no clear #1

Boston- Dafoe oft-injured

Ottawa- Lalime may have sophomore slump

There are probably some others that I can’t think of right now, but odds are that at least a couple of those teams (probably not more than that; I
don’t see a mass goalie slump occurring) will have a problem, at which point Ozzie’s value will sky rocket. Plus, you can’t count out injury. If Brodeur goes down, the Devils will need a solid goalie to take his place. So if the Red Wings are patient, they may just be able to wring out a lot more for Osgood than they can now.