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TheCaptain19

Jimmy Howard

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Well if I was Holland and I wanted to keep all our options open I would let Howard back up Ozzie at the start of the season while Larsson goes to GR and we see what he can do. Ryan Miller becomes a UFA at the end of next season and I can't see him re-signing with Beefalo if he knows the Wings want him cause he's a Michigan product and probably is sick of the Sabres letting all their good players go and "rebuilding" every year. This means we can either try to obtain Miller in a trade near the end of next season or as a UFA in the offseason to team up with Ozzie if Howard s***s the bed. This way we get to see what Howard and Larsson can do at the next level of their development. I'm sure there will be other "veteran" goalies available throughout the course of the season if Howard is horrible and we need a more proven guy to back up Ozzie in the playoffs. Then Miller is here via UFA to "tandem" with Ozzie the season after next as that will be the last year of Ozzie's contract and we will hopefully have Mr. Miller signed here for the next 5 years or so after we acquire him.

If they get Miller, he will be the starter, not Ozzie.

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In most of those loses Howard looked like the only person playing, I feel very comfortable with him playing I'm also sure he'll improve as time goes on. If not we can easily get someone down the road, I mean we don't just have to rely on him we have Ozzy there who was money.

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WOW this place is not quite the same unless there is a goalie controversy, so much so that people are making one out of the backup position.

Here is a question, if you have an all star netminder who just took you to the cup, why do they chase down a starter to put behind said all star. Kolzig, Ellis and others are not going to come to Detroit to back up Ozzie. And the Wings are not going to pay a guy 3 mil to back up Ozzie. They did it with Hasek because they were unsure of his health and what he could bring. They know what Ozzie can bring.

Ladies and Gentlemen this one is pretty cut and dry, the Wings will let Howard show his stuff in Training camp and let him know he is the back up unless he costs himself the position with poor play.

If Howard looks to be a bust or to be a career AHLer, the Wings will act accordingly, if he looks legit, the Wings will act accordingly.

Have faith in the org that just won the cup!!

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I think Howard is ready to be brought in to the NHL as well, but I think it will all come down to Larsson. What if he shows up to camp and steals the show? I think it is very possible. The guy is a great young goaltender, and in all honesty I can see him being our #1 down the road over Howard. I still think Howard has the best shot at being our #2 at this point in time, but I think training camp and the preseason will decide who goes where.

I'm not sold on Larsson until we actually see him play. Stephan Liv was suppossed to be "the next great thing" for us as well, but he was never able to adapt to the AHL/NHL game. I believe I read that we have already released all rights to him.

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I think Howard should play... at least 20 to 30 games. If he doesn't step up to the plate then we move on to the get what we need. But give Howard the chance to prove he is worthy of the Winged Wheel. Being from the Lansing area, I'm partial to Miller, but still, Howard deserves a chance to prove himself.

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Nobody on the list of UFA's is anything to salivate over. TBH, I'd much rather see them give Howard 30 starts this year, and see if he can handle it. It'd be nice to have the goaltending situation in regards to Jimmy completely settled before the last two years of Oz's contract (and possibly his career).

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In regards to Miller, while I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, it has been the Wings management's MO to spend their money on defense rather than the guy between the pipes. While it would great to bring in a guy like Miller, I just don't see Kenny dropping the coin to get it done unless a massive home-town discount is given.

Keep in mind that when Miller becomes an UFA next Summer, that Z will likely be making $7.25 million, Lids will have another year at $7.45 million, Dats at $6.7 million, Rafalski at $6 million and god knows what Franzen is going to be offered/signed for this year with the first year of his new contract being Millers first UFA year. That is a sh*tload of money for 6 guys.

Edited by Never Forget Mac #25

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If holland want a UFA goalie, he should take Huet. he has been awesome with the caps at the end of the season

Every other team in the NHL looking for not only a backup (which would be the case this coming season in Detroit) but a starter knows that about Huet. The Wings have absolutely no shot at getting him, when 1/4 of the league is probably looking to make him their starter next year.

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I can sum up what this team needs in 2 words...Ed Belfour! LOL. But seriously, I am excited to see Howard play a whole season up in the big leagues. After all the years of hype, his time has finally arrived. The only thing I am worried about is if Osgood goes down with an injury, there isn't much depth there.

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Except for probably the 0 - 1 loss, all of Howard's appearance have been in relief of Osgood after Detroit has gone down 0 - 3. If Howard can't prove himself when he's in net next season, then we have two other goalies that can be backups (Larsson and Berkhoel).

Dude dont forget Liv, cuz when i saw him during practice the guy was tearing it up like no other, i no its just practice but still the guy was really good

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Dude dont forget Liv, cuz when i saw him during practice the guy was tearing it up like no other, i no its just practice but still the guy was really good

It wasn't intentional. I completely forgot about Liv and Koopmans.

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Howard is ready. I see him gradually getting more and more playing time as the season wears on. If Osgood falters later in the year or gets injured, he will have shown fans he is capable by then. No need to spend any extra cap money on a goalie. If fact, Holland is going to be sitting pretty with a load of cash to spend. The thing is, the Wings have so many bright prospects waiting for their time, he might not have much to spend it on unless disaster strikes in the form of major injuries. Good insurance policy though.

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With Hasek gone, there's not a single NHL-proven goaltender in the system aside from Osgood. It'd be wise for the org to pick up another backup in the event of serious injury to Osgood or underperformance from Howard.

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OK, so to get this thread out in the open before the flood comes. IS HE READY? Osgood said he believes Jimmy is ready to step in. I think so too. He's been waiting and I believe him and Ozzie will do a great job together. What are your thoughts? Im excited.

I don't know. Sports fans have been burned way too many times to put so much faith in a kid who has only played rarely.

I expect him to be a serviceable goalie, but not the second coming of Hasek/Roy/Sawchuck.

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Most everyone here says "Howard is ready" but I am telling you that on the radio interview with Ken Holland yesterday morning it certainly sounded like he was not ready to make that move... His words were "he is getting closer"

He alluded to the fact that bringing in someone else thru free agency would be good because it would setup "a situation of competition".

From the way it sounded to me, it aint gonna happen.

That being said, I like him and agree that he didn't get one lick of help the games he played here last year. He deserved better.

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This is now the perfect time to bring Howard up and see what he can do. He has played 3 solid years in the minors, and its only fair to see what the kid has to offer. Give him 25-30 games this season, and we can evaluate him, and see if this guy can be our franchise goalie.

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Howard has 1 year to show he can get it done. The year after that Miller fro B-flo goes UFA and he will be a Wing if that happens.

I saw Ryan Miller at Bdubs in East Lansing during the Wings win over Avalanche 8-2. He said he was cheering for the Avs because Liles was from State with him. I joked about how he grew up here and wasn't he a Wings fan? He said(very seriously), I didn't grow up that close to Detroit, I'm not really a fan. I have no affiliation to them.

Now maybe he thought some clever journalist disguised himself as a drunk Wing's fan in a 10 year old Shanny jersey and was looking for a quote, or he doesn't like the Wings anymore then any other team. If he does sign with Detroit, I guess it will be because of their history and his chance to win and nothing else, I doubt anything is guaranteed.

I think Howard is ready to be a backup, we are talking about a backup. Not starter. Raising home-grown goalie talent hasn't been one of this management's strong points(I know, ironic that Ozzie is homegrown) but he started some 15 years ago. Since then, name one goalie the Wings drafted and raised as there own. I don't think many fans have had the experience watching a team grow a goalie. This is how you do it. Bring him in now while we have a solid number 1. 50/30 split.

If management is really scared about Howard. Sign a steady keeper like Conklin, who would flourish with the Wings style and have him and Howard share the back up duties.

The last thing I want is the Wings to sign a $2-3 million back-up/possible starter without even seeing what Howard can do.

I want them to use that money on Malone. If anyone can get a Hometown boy away from the team he grew up loving I want the Wings to try.

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Speaking as someone that went to several Griffins games and watched Howard in person, I can say that he is, indeed, ready to get a shot to back up at this level.

His positioning is sound and he does a great job of being there to make the first stop. His rebound control is probably his weakest spot, but that is something that he can continue to work on with the big team.

He has learned all he can at this point in GR, and needs the opportunity to move his game forward.

The Wings have put a whole lot of resources into the development of this kid. I don't see them pulling the trigger on a deal to get a FA goalie unless one of two things happens 1) Osgood goes down with an injury that ends his season or 2) He is a sieve and lets in every puck thrown at him.

Look at the effort that Holland and co. have put into developing from inside. They're not about to stop now.

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Jimmy Howard Statistics

Season Team Lge GP GAA W L T Pct

2001-02 U.S. Jr. National Team USHL 8 1.98 4 3 0 0.927

2002-03 U. of Maine NCAA 21 2.45 14 6 0 0.916

2003-04 U. of Maine NCAA 22 1.19 14 4 3 0.956

2004-05 U. of Maine NCAA 39 1.92 19 13 7 0.924

2005-06 Detroit Red Wings NHL 4 2.99 1 2 0 0.904

2005-06 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 38 2.58 27 6 2 0.91

2006-07 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 49 2.7 21 21 3 0.911

2007-08 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 54 2.83 21 28 2 0.907

2007-08 Detroit Red Wings NHL 4 2.13 0 2 0 0.926

Look, the guy has a great history, and he's not going to be the #1 goalie immediately. His college stats are as good as Ryan Miller. So he's 1-4 all time in 8 games. Ozzie and Dom have had worse stretches than that. He'll be fine, he's paid his dues, make him the #2 goalie.

New Olympia Stadium

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