Dimaline312000 51 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 After reading the Howard post(s) on here now and before it got me to thinking if Howard doesn't work out can we keep Cloutier on the roster while having still having Howard on the roster? I have a feeling that we are going to part ways with Pearce after the Pre season and have Larsson and McCollum in GR and I'm willing to bet that Whitley will be sent back down to College or wherever he goes from here. Can the Wings have 3 goalies on their NHL Roster? If Howard doesn't get into a grove here in Detroit and just can't find his way and I wasn't quite sold on Cloutier at Camp either. He looked way less sharp than years before. I know he's older and that year of no NHL hockey hurt his skills a bit but if he is our only option if Howard doesn't work out than can we keep him on the Wings roster? I know that has to do with how much cap we have as well I'm just not sure with the Cap Era if an NHL team can have 3 goaltenders on their atual NHL roster. I hope Howard does start to improve and in time become a better NHL goalie for the Wings but I'd like to know what our options are before having to make a trade. Any help would be greatly appreicated. Thank you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
uk_redwing 495 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 Id love Brett Cloutier as a 13/14th forward. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buppy 1,720 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 We don't have the cap room to keep three goalies, but we could always waive Howard. At this point, if Howard can't be an NHL backup, would it really matter if we lost him on waivers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eva unit zero 271 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 We can keep Cloutier one of two ways. 1. Cloutier outplays Howard enough to make the team as backup, leaving Howard to either be traded, or waived and either picked up by another team or fight for a GR spot. 2. Cloutier outplays Howard, earns a two-way deal, but Holland and Babs decide to give the kid a shot and waive Clouts, sending him to the minors, possibly even Toledo. Cloutier playing for Toledo would also make him an easy injury call-up if Howie or Ozzie were injured in practice while Grand Rapids was on a long road trip and Detroit was playing a home game. The most likely outcome is that Cloutier earns a look from another team that doesn't have a solid backup and would be interested in a guy who would probably sign for the league minimum. I'm looking at you Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Vancouver and maybe a couple others. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Ruff 47 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 (edited) The most likely outcome is that Cloutier earns a look from another team that doesn't have a solid backup and would be interested in a guy who would probably sign for the league minimum. I'm looking at you Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Vancouver and maybe a couple others. Boucher and Raycroft > Cloutier IMO... Pittsburgh has Johnson who I'd probably also take before Cloutier.... New Jersey (Yann Danis), Calgary (McElhinney), San Jose (Greiss) come to mind though.... Good luck to Cloutier in any event. Edited September 20, 2009 by T-Ruff Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rivalred 630 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 Would rather have a few of the UFA Goalies here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lfd250 1 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 I don't think Howard can be sent down anymore. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VM1138 1,921 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 I don't think Howard can be sent down anymore. He can't. That's the only reason they finally gave him a shot, not because they felt confidence in him. Cloutier isn't any better than Howard. What we're going to have to do is hope Howard gets his act together til be builds up some trade value, then trade him and either bring up Larsson early or grab someone else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carman 387 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 Would rather have a few of the UFA Goalies here. Yep, pretty much what I was going to say. There are plenty of serviceable goalies that can be gotten cheap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lamothe 5 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 After reading the Howard post(s) on here now and before it got me to thinking if Howard doesn't work out can we keep Cloutier on the roster while having still having Howard on the roster? I have a feeling that we are going to part ways with Pearce after the Pre season and have Larsson and McCollum in GR and I'm willing to bet that Whitley will be sent back down to College or wherever he goes from here. Can the Wings have 3 goalies on their NHL Roster? If Howard doesn't get into a grove here in Detroit and just can't find his way and I wasn't quite sold on Cloutier at Camp either. He looked way less sharp than years before. I know he's older and that year of no NHL hockey hurt his skills a bit but if he is our only option if Howard doesn't work out than can we keep him on the Wings roster? I know that has to do with how much cap we have as well I'm just not sure with the Cap Era if an NHL team can have 3 goaltenders on their atual NHL roster. I hope Howard does start to improve and in time become a better NHL goalie for the Wings but I'd like to know what our options are before having to make a trade. Any help would be greatly appreicated. Thank you. What do you mean by part ways? Pearce has a contract with the Wings until 2011. He'll end up in Toledo, I believe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buppy 1,720 Report post Posted September 20, 2009 I don't think Howard can be sent down anymore. He can be sent down, he'd just have to clear waivers first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dimaline312000 51 Report post Posted September 21, 2009 What do you mean by part ways? Pearce has a contract with the Wings until 2011. He'll end up in Toledo, I believe. My apologies, I read an article I believe it was in TC while I was up there saying that Larsson was almost garunteed a spot on the GR roster and Pearce and McCollum where going to have to duke it out for the last playoffs spot and that the Wings would keep the best one and let the other one go. Obviously the author wasn't aware of Pearce's contract or just forgot. I didn't realize he was signed untill 2011 so that is my fault. I didn't think we had the Cap Space to keep Cloutier but I wasn't sure. I want to make it clear that I would love to give Howard a REAL shot at being the Wings back-up this season but if it doesn't work out I hope we can fix the problem before it becomes a catastrophe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dimaline312000 51 Report post Posted September 22, 2009 He can't. That's the only reason they finally gave him a shot, not because they felt confidence in him. Cloutier isn't any better than Howard. What we're going to have to do is hope Howard gets his act together til be builds up some trade value, then trade him and either bring up Larsson early or grab someone else. Not to argue or anything but if the Wings didn't have some confidence in Jimmy Howard why didn't they keep Conklin and trade Howard? My feeling is that the Wings do have some conficence in Howard and wants to give him a fair chance. It's up to him to make the best of the oppurtunity and play well and earn a spot on the Wings roster as a back-up. As for Cloutier I would kinda like to keep him but at the same time watching him in camp he didn't seem like a very strong goalie so I don't know if I'd rather have Howard or Cloutier as back-up but if things didn't work out I'd say the Wings best bet would be to let Clout go and than trade Howard for a capable back-up UFA Goalie still out there. However I want to give Jimmy a chance to prove what he can and can't do before I make any rash decisions on him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carman 387 Report post Posted September 22, 2009 The Wing's didn't keep Conklin is because of salary. Conklin I believe is making 1.3ish for STL and Detroit couldn't match the offer. I believe it wouldn't be a contest and the wing's would of absolutely choose to have Conklin over Howard, but couldn't do it because of the cap. As far as Cloutier the Wing's more then likely were doing him a favor of exposure, but you never know what Holland has up his sleeve. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pucks 66 Report post Posted September 22, 2009 I think Howard would play much better if the guy could just get a win. He can't seem to relax and let the game come to him. You can see when he plays he's constantly trying to hard. That most likely comes from not enough opportunity in the past. You could see it in Quincey's game last year during training camp. He wanted to impress so badly that he played himself right off the roster. It looks like the wings are going to give him some rope. We'll see if he emerges or hangs himself with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltgator333 3 Report post Posted September 22, 2009 I think Howard would play much better if the guy could just get a win. He can't seem to relax and let the game come to him. You can see when he plays he's constantly trying to hard. That most likely comes from not enough opportunity in the past. You could see it in Quincey's game last year during training camp. He wanted to impress so badly that he played himself right off the roster. It looks like the wings are going to give him some rope. We'll see if he emerges or hangs himself with it. Couldn't agree more. On Cloutier, no he's not any better of a goalie than Howard and if Howard gets his $hit together he'll be better than Cloutier, and yes there's also better goalies that are UFA. That said, the Wings have a good enough team where Cloutier could be an ok backup if he played consistent from one game to the next, from what I saw he looked pretty decent out there. He'll be allright somewhere, just not in Detroit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DRAPES RULES 7 Report post Posted September 22, 2009 Can the Wings have 3 goalies on their NHL Roster? You seem to have forgotten Hasek-Legacy-Joseph all together Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lamothe 5 Report post Posted September 23, 2009 (edited) Can the Wings have 3 goalies on their NHL Roster? You seem to have forgotten Hasek-Legacy-Joseph all together But also remember Hasek or Joseph were injured at different times throughout the entire season. Also, Joseph spent a little time in Grand Rapids. Additionally, this happened prior to the cap I believe. Hasek retired in 02', came back the year after... Jospeh filled his shoes till 04'. CBA wasn't agreed upon until 05'. They of course can carry 3 goalies, if money were to permit... But we don't have the cap space. Edited September 23, 2009 by Lamothe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dimaline312000 51 Report post Posted September 25, 2009 The Wing's didn't keep Conklin is because of salary. Conklin I believe is making 1.3ish for STL and Detroit couldn't match the offer. I believe it wouldn't be a contest and the wing's would of absolutely choose to have Conklin over Howard, but couldn't do it because of the cap. As far as Cloutier the Wing's more then likely were doing him a favor of exposure, but you never know what Holland has up his sleeve. Ok, once again I'm not trying to start a holy war here but if the Wings didn't have at least some confidence in Howard than why not trade Howard and sign a UFA Goalie? I'm just trying to give Howard the respect he deserves. I know he is unproven and everyon is entitled to their own opinion and I respect that; I also believe that as Wings fans it's our job to the critical of the team and it's players but it's also our job to be supportive of the team and it's players. I just wanna give Howard an chance before we dismiss him as a poor goalie. I know that's not what this topic is about and I start this topic about Cloutier but I just wanted to try to give Howie a chance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeftWinger 5,152 Report post Posted September 25, 2009 Ok, once again I'm not trying to start a holy war here but if the Wings didn't have at least some confidence in Howard than why not trade Howard and sign a UFA Goalie? pretty much just like 2001 with Osgood, the Wings' hands are tied with Howard and the other 29 teams know this, so there will be no offers for him they would just wait to claim him off of the waiver wire. Obviously the rest of the league has very little confidence also or there would be trade offers for him from a team way down the waiver list. He isnt held too highly in the NHL, so no team is gonna get into a bidding war with another for him, he just isn't that well regarded in the NHL. (seems the fans aren't the only one curious as to why it took him so many years to make the NHL and only then by being out of options.) You are right though in your assumption that Holland has to have a little bit of confidence in him or he would already be waived regardless of losing him. Here's to hoping Holland is right! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CenterIce 83 Report post Posted September 25, 2009 (edited) Obviously the rest of the league has very little confidence also or there would be trade offers for him from a team way down the waiver list. He isnt held too highly in the NHL, so no team is gonna get into a bidding war with another for him, he just isn't that well regarded in the NHL. (seems the fans aren't the only one curious as to why it took him so many years to make the NHL and only then by being out of options.) And you know all this how. The Wings could have had trade offers, which were never revealed to the public. In the years since the Wings have had Howard's rights, I have heard Ken and Mickey mentioning a few times that some teams have been interested. However, no one knows everything that these GM's discuss. Edited September 25, 2009 by CenterIce Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
