Howard's career potential: 1A goalie?

[rick zombo 3,739]

So, I was flipping through some player profiles on TSN's website and I was a little dissapointed to see that Howard's scouting report has him projected to be a 1A goalie. Months ago he was projected as a number 1.

For those of you that don't understand, an example of a 1A goalie would be Osgood, Fernandez, etc. Someone who can share starting duties but not be the undisputed number 1 guy.

Young goalies like LeClaire, Harding, and Price are all projected as number 1s.

The point is, Howard's ranking has dropped.

Here's the link

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?i...e=nhl-red_wings

Any thoughts????

[Rob the Badger 0]

It probably has to do with the subpar season that he had in the AHL with G.R. last season. He didn't exactly embarrass himself, but he didn't impress anybody either.

[theman19 47]

from what i understand now, he's lighting up the ahl,..yes?

[Opie 308]

I try not to put too much weight on those scouting reports. I mean what is Chris Mason's scouting report, or Peter Budjai for that matter.

As long as he is still a 1, whether it be 1a or 1b it is still the best prospect the wings have had for a while.

[toby91_ca 620]

from what i understand now, he's lighting up the ahl,..yes?

No....he's not even in the AHL right now, isn't he on Detroit's roster? Not sure if he still is and if he is, it won't be for very long.

In terms of his play in the AHL so far this year, he's only played 4 games, so it really doesn't tell you much, but his stats are as follows:

GAA - 3.00

SV% - .902

Not in the top 30 for either.

[interminded 1]

TSN's player profile has always been rubbish.

They just go with the popular and safe opinion.

Let's take Chris Osgood as an example (whether you like the dude or not doesn't matter right now.)

ASSETS:

Doesn't let outside distractions faze him.

Is an excellent team player.

Usually plays in control and can become a starter in a pinch.

FLAWS:

Is no longer starter material.

Still lets in soft goals on occasion.

Has always had trouble with long shots.

So he is a starter or not ???

CAREER POTENTIAL:

No. 2 goaltender. (Surrrrrrrrrrrrrre .......)

Edited November 5, 2007 by interminded

[Rob the Badger 0]

Once Dom is cleared he will take the starting role again and Howard will be sent back down to the "A". Howard hasn't looked bad in the AHL so far this season, but the powers that be are expecting a lot more from him if he wants to win the back up role in Detroit and eventually become the 'man' in Hockeytown.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

It's a little premature for them to be calling him a 1A goaltender, considering he's 23 years old, has played two seasons in the AHL and a whopping 4 NHL games.

Especially considering his performance in the playoffs last year where he posted a .927 save %. Strange that they would downgrade him.

[Lamothe 5]

TSN had Grigorenko projected as a "First Line Winger" until late October. I stopped putting any trust in their projections after I read that.

Howard is fine. He was quite good at camp.

[rick zombo 3,739]

It's a little premature for them to be calling him a 1A goaltender, considering he's 23 years old, has played two seasons in the AHL and a whopping 4 NHL games.

Especially considering his performance in the playoffs last year where he posted a .927 save %. Strange that they would downgrade him.

Exactly. This is what prompted the creation of this thread.

[theman19 47]

you know i just realized,

TSN's profile also said until a few months ago that paul stansy was "not going to put up big numbers at the NHL number"

[StormJH1 231]

TSN's player profile has always been rubbish.

They just go with the popular and safe opinion.

Let's take Chris Osgood as an example (whether you like the dude or not doesn't matter right now.)

ASSETS:

Doesn't let outside distractions faze him.

Is an excellent team player.

Usually plays in control and can become a starter in a pinch.

FLAWS:

Is no longer starter material.

Still lets in soft goals on occasion.

Has always had trouble with long shots.

So he is a starter or not ???

CAREER POTENTIAL:

No. 2 goaltender. (Surrrrrrrrrrrrrre .......)

I'm an Ozzie fan, but I didn't see anything inconsistent or inaccurate in that particular scouting report. Ozzie IS a #2 goalie right now (or a platooner at best). He was a starter with NYI and STL briefly, but only had moderate success there.

If you want to blame somebody for the perception of Ozzie, blame the Wings, who dumped him a few years after riding him to the '98 Cup, and then reacquired him TO BE THE BACKUP to one of the Top 10 goalies of all time.

[interminded 1]

I'm an Ozzie fan, but I didn't see anything inconsistent or inaccurate in that particular scouting report. Ozzie IS a #2 goalie right now (or a platooner at best). He was a starter with NYI and STL briefly, but only had moderate success there.

If you want to blame somebody for the perception of Ozzie, blame the Wings, who dumped him a few years after riding him to the '98 Cup, and then reacquired him TO BE THE BACKUP to one of the Top 10 goalies of all time.

I don't want to make a Chris Osgood thread, so I'll keep it short: I don't agree with the first part.

I do agree with the second part.

Now, back to Jimmie Howard.

[raidedredwing2 0]

Maybe its because the wings will sign hasek to a 12 year deal after the season is over. Thats the only reason i could come up. Granted he was almost ready to jump into a wings uni this year, but tell me hasek signing a 1 year deal didnt affect that???

[Kp-Wings 3]

The scouting reports from TSN are actually from the Sports Forecaster, not TSN themselves. They just post the information on the player profile pages to give a general idea about the player.

I don't see what the big deal is. Just because Howard is touted by the Wings as a #1 goalie doesn't mean the rest of the league feels the same way. He has to actually prove himself, you know.

[up2here 41]

Most of the scouting reports are old anyway,they seem to be slow updating them. Nick Lidstroms has been the same for 3 years.

Edited November 5, 2007 by UP2HERE

[Turkey 0]

Heck who needs to update Lidstrom's? Just write "perfect" and leave it that way until you change it to "retired".

[puckloo39 5,686]

Most of the scouting reports are old anyway,they seem to be slow updating them. Nick Lidstroms has been the same for 3 years.

Because Nick Lidstrom has been the same for three years? Wonderful?

I just hope whatever happens that Jimmy doesn't get thrown in too soon. Ozzie won't permit that, if he is able to do anything to prevent it. I can't speak to how well Howard plays, since all I've seen is numbers in AHL, but I take everyone's word that he's special and the Wings' future in goal.

[al48 1]

All this grooming going on about Jimmy, and there's that bit of possibility that a young man from Sweden could end up coming in here and taking the number 1 job in the near future. Yet, nobody ever talks about him. Granted, he's having a good early season and hasn't proven himself throughout a full year yet, but that possibility is there.

[Kp-Wings 3]

All this grooming going on about Jimmy, and there's that bit of possibility that a young man from Sweden could end up coming in here and taking the number 1 job in the near future. Yet, nobody ever talks about him. Granted, he's having a good early season and hasn't proven himself throughout a full year yet, but that possibility is there.

That's because playing in Sweden we don't get to see this player peform, where as if he were playing GR, he'd be almost right next door.

Larsson, who I imagine you're talking about, is supposed to be projected as a #1 goalie, but somehow I don't think that'll happen with the Wings. They already screwed up Liv, so unless they bring Larsson over soon, they may lose out on him too.

[up2here 41]

Because Nick Lidstrom has been the same for three years? Wonderful?

I just hope whatever happens that Jimmy doesn't get thrown in too soon. Ozzie won't permit that, if he is able to do anything to prevent it. I can't speak to how well Howard plays, since all I've seen is numbers in AHL, but I take everyone's word that he's special and the Wings' future in goal.

Except that he's won 2 more Norris trophies and cemented himself as one of the top 5 defenseman of all time.

[al48 1]

That's because playing in Sweden we don't get to see this player peform, where as if he were playing GR, he'd be almost right next door.

Larsson, who I imagine you're talking about, is supposed to be projected as a #1 goalie, but somehow I don't think that'll happen with the Wings. They already screwed up Liv, so unless they bring Larsson over soon, they may lose out on him too.

I think he'll be brought over next year. There's a need for him if they end up going with Osgood/Howard. I hope he can keep showing his potential throughout this year. I'm a big Howard fan (big goalie fan in general), but I think Larsson could end up being better. And, I don't think it's fair to parallel him with Liv; not saying you are, but people tend to. Liv had/has bigger problems, mostly about being able to get his head straight, whereas Larsson comes off as more level headed and consistent.

[OsGOD 3]

So, I was flipping through some player profiles on TSN's website and I was a little dissapointed to see that Howard's scouting report has him projected to be a 1A goalie. Months ago he was projected as a number 1.

For those of you that don't understand, an example of a 1A goalie would be Osgood, Fernandez, etc. Someone who can share starting duties but not be the undisputed number 1 guy.

Young goalies like LeClaire, Harding, and Price are all projected as number 1s.

The point is, Howard's ranking has dropped.

Here's the link

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?i...e=nhl-red_wings

Any thoughts????

1A is disputable.. cause right now Ozzie could handle being the 1 guy... its all a matter of the emotions going through the coaches mind at the time if the goalie is 1, 1A, 2 of 6... if the coach is too bone headed to not play the player... regradless of talent he will never be able to be the 1 guy.

The only thing stopping him from carring the 1 title is becuase the coach is putting him back on the shelf when his play says he deserves otherwise.

Given a chance Howard can be the number 1 and i pray if nohting more than stoping the effing goalie-go-round, we use him as the 1 guy in the future.

Edited November 6, 2007 by OsGOD

[LeftWinger 5,153]

I'm an Ozzie fan, but I didn't see anything inconsistent or inaccurate in that particular scouting report. Ozzie IS a #2 goalie right now (or a platooner at best). He was a starter with NYI and STL briefly, but only had moderate success there.

If you want to blame somebody for the perception of Ozzie, blame the Wings, who dumped him a few years after riding him to the '98 Cup, and then reacquired him TO BE THE BACKUP to one of the Top 10 goalies of all time.

...well, compare the teams he played with. NYI & STL but paled in comparrison to the Wings. They dumped him because they couldn't justify paying him almost $4MM to sit on the bench. He's back in his comfort zone and he is just as good as he was in 1998 (so far.) BTW you can name only a few active goalies with more wins than Ozzie. In all the history of goalies ALL-TIME he ranks as #16. 16 ALL TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE NHL...

...If you ask me the Wings are stealing Ozzie for what they are paying him. Compare his stats and achievments to that of Khabibulin(sp) who would you pay more? Ozzie is a ligit #1 goalie, there is no doubt in my mind that if we had Osggod/Howard we'd still be in the same place we are right now, maybe better...

...now back to Jimmy Howard...

[union drone 0]

...If you ask me the Wings are stealing Ozzie for what they are paying him. Compare his stats and achievments to that of Khabibulin(sp) who would you pay more? Ozzie is a ligit #1 goalie, there is no doubt in my mind that if we had Osggod/Howard we'd still be in the same place we are right now, maybe better...

...now back to Jimmy Howard...

Although it's hard to knock Dom (despite his slow start and injury), I think that a Ozzie/Howard combo might be better for the long term future of the Wings.

Think about it...if Howard only ever gets to see the NHL from a bench (and then only if Dom is injured) how the hell is he ever supposed to develop into a starter?! If we used Howard as a legit backup who plays 20-30 games, we would actually see Howard become more (maybe) than an AHL player.