3 Greatest Red Wings of All Time – Hockey Writers – History of the Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings have had some amazing Wheel Wheel scorers over the past 90 years. Most of these masked men are among the best strikers to ever play the game, so narrowing them down to the top three is no easy task.

When ranking the top three Red Wings goaltenders of all time, the netminder will be evaluated based on their performance in Hockeytown, rather than career totals. Prospects like Dominik Hasek, Mike Vernon, and Curtis Joseph could be considered “special” based on their entire NHL careers, but they didn't play enough with the Red Wings to qualify for this list.

Because the top two goaltenders are set in stone, we'll start our countdown with the greatest Red Wings goaltender of all time and work our way down from there.

#1 – Terry Sawchuk

Red Wings fans were lucky enough to have one of the NHL's best goaltenders ever grace their hometown for 14 seasons, including 12 as a starter. Terry Sawchuk has won 351 games in a Red Wings uniform – the most in franchise history.

When Sawchuk was in net, he was a dominant force, turning the lights out for the Red Wings. Of his 351 wins, 85 have come as shutouts, which would be good enough to put Sawchuk fourth on the all-time shutout leader list. He recorded 18 more shutouts with other teams and sits second all-time with 103 career shutouts, trailing only Martin Brodeur's 125 shutouts.

When the playoffs rolled around, Sawchuk was nearly unbeatable. He won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings (and a fourth as a backup in 1950) including an undefeated 1952 season, in which the Red Wings won eight of eight games and started the octopus tradition.

#2 – Chris Osgood

During the Red Wings' most recent dynasty, Chris Osgood was Detroit's main man in net. (from 'Hockey's last dynasty: Detroit Red Wings' 'incredible' run of 25 straight playoff berths may never be repeated,' National Post, 03/29/2017) In 14 seasons with the Red Wings, Osgood won 317 games. The “Wizard of Oz” also had 39 shutouts in that span.

Because the Red Wings had stacked teams during his tenure, Osgood often doesn't get the credit he deserves for his career in Detroit. With Osgood in the pipeline as a full-time starter or sharing starting duties, the Red Wings won three Stanley Cups, reached the Western Conference finals seven times, and made the playoffs each year. He even scored once.

Another aspect of Osgood's game that doesn't get the attention it deserves is how the netminder has adapted his game to maximize his career and adapt to the game's changes. In his first season with the Red Wings, Osgood was an unusual stand-up goaltender. But as the NHL transitioned from a catch-and-catch game to one of speed and grace, Osgood reinvented himself as a butterfly goalie with a heavy skating career. Because of this, “Ozzie” played six seasons after the 2004-05 shutdown and won his third Stanley Cup during that time.

#3 – Harry Lumley

WHO? Harry Lumley, of course!

In the 1940s, Lumley was Detroit's main man (unknown). His Red Wings career took off when he took over as a 17-year-old and led the Red Wings to the 1945 Stanley Cup Final. It ended with less success, with Lumley winning the 1950 Stanley Cup.

You may also like:

In his six seasons as a starter, Lumley led the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup Finals four times – finally winning the Cup in his fourth attempt in 1950. If it wasn't for Sawchuk coming, Lumley would have been stuck. revolve around the extraordinary Red Wings' 1950s teams.

He won 163 games with Detroit – fourth in team history – and recorded 26 shutouts, good for third-most behind Sawchuk and Osgood.

Honorable Mention

Although their stints apart didn't last long, goaltenders like Hasek, Vernon, Normie Smith, and Glenn Hall had tough careers in Detroit. In addition, longtime networkers such as Tim Cheveldae, Roger Crozier, and Jim Rutherford were able to produce respectable numbers in Hockeytown. Even Jimmy Howard (193) and Manny Legace (112) managed 100 wins with the Original Six franchise.