July 19, 2011
After 17 NHL seasons, 14 with the Detroit Red Wings, goalie Chris Osgood will announce his retirement during a noon conference call Tuesday, according to a source close to the team.
Red Wings GM Ken Holland will also participate in the conference call. It's believed Osgood will stay with the Red Wings as a coach, working with young goaltenders.
Osgood, 38, was a member of three Stanley Cup teams in Detroit and earned career victory No. 400 last season as a backup to Jimmy Howard. Osgood has 317 victories with the Red Wings, second only to Terry Sawchuk (352).
Osgood also played for the New York Islanders and the St. Louis Blues.
Osgood was a third-round pick (54th overall) by the Red Wings in 1991. He has 401 career victories in 713 regular-season starts, 538 with the Red Wings. He ranks ranks 10th in victories in league history, just two behind former Edmonton Oilers great Grant Fuhr and six behind former Red Wing Glenn Hall.
Osgood's regular-season goal-against average is 2.49 with a .905 save percentage and 50 shutouts.
In 123 playoff starts, 110 with the Red Wings, he was 74-49 with a 2.09 GAA, .916 save percentage and 15 shutouts.
With Osgood's retirement, Detroit is expected to bring back Ty Conklin as Howard's backup.
Osgood told the Red Wings in May that he would like to play another season, but there was concern about his health. He had surgery for a sports hernia on Jan. 11 and didn't play the rest of the season.