Veteran goalie usually takes a while to get going and Osgood has been sharp in his place

Goaltender Dominik Hasek’s slow start and Chris Osgood’s hot one is more a conversation starter than a controversy in the Detroit Red Wings’ camp.

“I don’t think Dom has played as well as he would like,” said Detroit general manager Ken Holland. “But my experience with him is that he is not a fast starter out of the gate. His best hockey starts to come about November, after he starts to settle in.”

But Hasek’s .879 save percentage has been fuel for talk radio, primarily because Hasek is 42. Logic says that at some point his Hall of Fame talent will begin to erode.

Will Hasek be able to flick the switch and become the Dominator?
“Right now there is no reason not to believe that his game won’t be elevated a month from now,” Holland said.

Dominik Hasek

Temporarily, coach Mike Babcock might give more work to Osgood, who currently sits ninth among the NHL’s goalie leaders, four places ahead of Hasek.
Osgood has been sharp in three starts, winning each game and giving up just five goals for a 1.67 goals-against average and .932 save percentage.

Hasek, meanwhile, has posted a sub .900 save percentage in four of his six starts. Uncharacteristically, he has given up three or more goals in three of those six starts. He has also given up 10 even-strength goals and two shorthanded goals in those six games. By contrast, Osgood has given up just three even-strength goals and no shorthanded goals in three games.

An indication that Babcock might lean more on Osgood came when he played him against the San Jose Sharks, even though Hasek seemed as if he was rested. Osgood has looked as efficient as Hasek has looked sloppy.

“We are early in the year and Ozzie is going good and I don’t think there is anything wrong with Dom,” Holland said. “Sure there is the odd goal that Dom would like to have back. But he has made saves, and the other night we had breakdowns all over the place.”

Although the Red Wings are 6-2-1, Holland said the team hasn’t surged in front of Hasek.

“I like where we are because I know we have six or seven players who can raise their game,” he said.

Hasek only faced 21 shots against Phoenix on October 20, but he did look sharper and he didn’t let his team collapse after falling behind 2-1.

“We dominated the first period, and unfortunately we were down 2-1," Hasek told the Detroit News. "My teammates helped me out. I didn't have much work, however, there were a few breakaways and 2-on-1s and I had to make a few saves. But we dominated the whole 60 minutes."

Win, lose, or draw, there is no one on the Red Wings who offers a more honest assessment of his play than Hasek. If he plays poorly, he will come out and tell the media that he played poorly. That’s why he has been a media favorite in Detroit.

Chris Osgood

Last season, Hasek also started slowly. Coach Mike Babcock has said continuously that he admires how competitive Hasek is about keeping sharp.

Historically, the more work that Hasek gets, the better he performs. Hasek played 56 games last season, the Red Wings were hoping to lighten his workload just a bit, although they don’t want reduce it so much that he can’t stay ready. Part of Babcock’s mission is determine what’s the right number of games for Hasek to play to keep him both fresh and sharp for the playoffs.

The good news for the Red Wings is that prize goaltending prospect Jimmy Howard has looked sharp in his first three starts at Grand Rapids, posting a .934 save percentage. Given Hasek’s age, the Red Wings are hoping that Howard has a break-through season in the AHL.

Given the Red Wings’ drop in attendance, Holland said he was happy to hear that fans are concerned about his goaltending. “If they are talking about hockey, it’s a good thing,” he said.

The Red Wings, in the middle of the pack now in home attendance, have played well on their Western road trip, losing only to Anaheim as of this writing. “I told Paul Woods that if we came out of this trip with six wins I would be happy,” Holland said.

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