Jimmy Howard watch thread

[sliverck 3]

I said that Howard would eventually steal a game for this team and that it was only a matter of time. And there you go. He just seems to get better in almost every game he plays, sure he makes a boneheaded play every once in awhile but as long as he's winning I couldn't care less. He has to be strongly considered for the Calder at this point, he just needs to keep it up. I still lean towards Osgood if we make the playoffs but I'm not so sure of that anymore.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

I said that Howard would eventually steal a game for this team and that it was only a matter of time. And there you go. He just seems to get better in almost every game he plays, sure he makes a boneheaded play every once in awhile but as long as he's winning I couldn't care less. He has to be strongly considered for the Calder at this point, he just needs to keep it up. I still lean towards Osgood if we make the playoffs but I'm not so sure of that anymore.

Howard is a rookie. Don't you ever forget that.

[mmamolo 287]

Does anybody here think Howard could make a run for the Calder???

I think he's performing well enough at this stage but there are too many other rookies. Tyler Myers, Tuuka Raask, Tavares, Duschene, etc.

[Opie 308]

A couple of nice Jimmy quotes from the AP recap:

"I can't say I'm the number one goalie, that's for sure," Howard said. "I mean, there's a guy sitting right over there that's got three Stanley Cups and almost 400 wins. I'm just going out there and playing."

"It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it," Howard said. "It was fun to be a part of a game like that. I just continued to battle and the guys continued to battle in front of me. They stayed the course and bailed me out a couple of times when I left some terrible rebounds in front, so I've got to credit them for a lot of my success.

"I don't know if I could have lasted another five minutes."

[sliverck 3]

Howard is a rookie. Don't you ever forget that.

Why does that matter? If he continues to improve and Osgood continues to fumble his starts I don't see a reason to keep Howard out of the playoffs because he's a rookie. He's gotta get playoff experience at some point and from what I can see this team does not have a very good chance at winning a cup this year. Howard gives the team the best chance at winning right now. I'll take a nervous rookie goaltender this year if it increases his chance at winning us a cup in another couple years.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Why does that matter? If he continues to improve and Osgood continues to fumble his starts I don't see a reason to keep Howard out of the playoffs because he's a rookie. He's gotta get playoff experience at some point and from what I can see this team does not have a very good chance at winning a cup this year. Howard gives the team the best chance at winning right now. I'll take a nervous rookie goaltender this year if it increases his chance at winning us a cup in another couple years.

Right now he does, yes.

But at some point Osgood is going to need to come in there and play, and if Detroit is a lower seed you want your best playoff goaltender in there. Right now that is Chris Osgood.

[puckloo39 5,686]

Jimmy reminds me of the true freshman q-back who got thrown into the BCS championship last night, after the #1 (McCoy) went out injured in the first rush of the game.

Jimmy's been fabulous for his age and experience. He's outplayed Osgood.

If we make the playoffs, then Babcock can make some tough decisions. In the meanwhile, play the goalie who is giving the team the best chance.

[sliverck 3]

Right now he does, yes.

But at some point Osgood is going to need to come in there and play, and if Detroit is a lower seed you want your best playoff goaltender in there. Right now that is Chris Osgood.

Right now that was Chris Osgood, are you sure it still is? Like I said, I'm not ready to pull Osgood from being the playoff goalie just yet, but if you were Babcock what do you do if Howard remains hot? Do you start Osgood and if he blows the first couple games switch to Howard, that doesn't always work so well. Of course the Wings have to make the playoffs first.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Right now that was Chris Osgood, are you sure it still is? Like I said, I'm not ready to pull Osgood from being the playoff goalie just yet, but if you were Babcock what do you do if Howard remains hot? Do you start Osgood and if he blows the first couple games switch to Howard, that doesn't always work so well. Of course the Wings have to make the playoffs first.

Well Howard has been doing well but this was a stolen game right after a relatively bad game.

Is Howard going to get the next ten starts? I sincerely hope not. If he continues to play hot for the next HALF of the season then he may be able to take the reigns, but he is playing well in January. Who knows what will happen after the Olympic break.

[Stiffy 0]

51 shots last night. Wow. They say Roy really developed by playing on minor league teams that left him hanging out to dry defensively. Maybe this is great training for Howard?

[sliverck 3]

Well Howard has been doing well but this was a stolen game right after a relatively bad game.

Is Howard going to get the next ten starts? I sincerely hope not. If he continues to play hot for the next HALF of the season then he may be able to take the reigns, but he is playing well in January. Who knows what will happen after the Olympic break.

See, I wouldn't say Howard had a bad game against the Ducks. He had a bad start and reverted back to the shakiness he had at the beginning of the season, but the whole team had a bad start. He played well enough the rest of the game, and that is a good aspect in a goalie. Had that been Osgood I feel like he would have been down on himself the rest of the game.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Give Howie a rest on Sat night and put Ozzie in. I'm afraid Babcock is going to burn him out.

Cruel to feed Ozzie to the Sharks ... so to say but even with Howie in, I don't think our chances are great.

[Guest lilja4mvp]

jimmy looked like he had a mild case of moobs in the post-game interview

might still need to drop a few lbs

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Give Howie a rest on Sat night and put Ozzie in. I'm afraid Babcock is going to burn him out.

Cruel to feed Ozzie to the Sharks ... so to say but even with Howie in, I don't think our chances are great.

I don't think it's all that cruel. Ozzie knows who the team is really relying on to carry them in the playoffs. This is his chance to go out there and steal us a win against a team that is currently far superior to the Wings.

[Guest mindfly]

Babcock should say like this before the sharks game "Ozzy this is your chance, it's up to you to embrace it and make sure you will get to start again"..if he doesn't show up after a thing like that he's not a pro

Edited January 8, 2010 by mindfly

[Drake_Marcus 890]

jimmy looked like he had a mild case of moobs in the post-game interview

might still need to drop a few lbs

It'd pretty tough to be even a bit overweight in the NHL. You have to have ridiculous skill you can fall back on (see Brett Hull at the tail end of his career).

[CenterIce 83]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=512925

Good article on Howard. I especially liked this part:

"The experts had reacted to Jimmy's very, very brief opportunity in the NHL," Holland said. "Last year he came up one day, was playing in Minnesota the next, gave up four goals and was sent back down the day after. I mean, you're only looking at a snapshot. I don't know how you can judge someone in one, two or three games. You have to give a player a chance to get comfortable before you judge them."

[anthonyn66 89]

Howard is a rookie. Don't you ever forget that.

Cam Ward? Patrick Roy?

Not only that, just look at the team he has playing in front of him. If they stay healthy, they're unstoppable.

[Guest mindfly]

Howard to start his 8th straight game... poor osgood

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...+-+MLive.com%29

[titanium2 867]

Props.

[13dangledangle 965]

Unfortunatley I won't have tv or Internet ( just on iPhone which can't stream games;no there's no App for that!) until we move next month so I haven't gotten to see all the games like I have every other year so far (I live in port hope ont. and can only see most wings games on centerice so I listen the ticket instead). However every game I've got to see Howard has impressed the hell out of me (and they've lost every game I've freakin watched(I've only seen three). I saw some one say it's only January... but he impressed alot of people here in October too and guess what it's NOW January he STILL looks like he's just getting going! so I say f*** ya Jimmy.

[zettie85 106]

If Jimmy continues to be as consistent as he has been been then I think he has every right to start in the playoffs. He would have earned it. If he does well then great if he falters under pressure then we still have Ozzie. I think until Kronwall is back we have to ride Howard. When we are healthy(if that ever happens) we will have more opportunity to win games if our defence is isn't clicking. Our PK is owning other teams lately. Howard may have bad rebound control but our boys are getting to lose pucks.

Howard has been great regardless of some of his weaknesses and we need to take advantage of that. Even if it means riding him into the playoffs. Once Franzen returns his presence will not go unnoticed. Some worry he won't be the same guy but I doubt that. When we are healthy and Howard is backstopping us we will be a force.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

See, I wouldn't say Howard had a bad game against the Ducks. He had a bad start and reverted back to the shakiness he had at the beginning of the season, but the whole team had a bad start. He played well enough the rest of the game, and that is a good aspect in a goalie. Had that been Osgood I feel like he would have been down on himself the rest of the game.

Osgood had an awful first two periods against Chicago then played great the final period.

Cam Ward? Patrick Roy?

Dan Ellis? Steve Mason?

The odds are a rookie is not going to adapt as well in the playoffs as a veteran. And Osgood is having a better year than he did last year, not to mention his Cup win while playing solid as ever and a finals appearance as the MVP for this hockey club (which was only a year ago).

Howard has not distanced himself so far in front of Osgood (and Osgood has not distanced himself so far behind Howard) that he deserves the spot come playoff time. If he deserves it he will earn it (or Osgood will lose it) in the second half.

[zettie85 106]

Howard has not distanced himself so far in front of Osgood (and Osgood has not distanced himself so far behind Howard) that he deserves the spot come playoff time. If he deserves it he will earn it (or Osgood will lose it) in the second half.

At this point in the season I would agree with you but don't you think that if Jimmy can get us there he deserves at least a sniff of playoff time. We pulled Hasek in game 3 and Ozzie shined and everything worked out OK. Why can't he get the chance if he gets us there? I think it's only fair.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Howard to start his 8th straight game... poor osgood

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...+-+MLive.com%29

Not sure if I agree with this. I know we need every point to keep in the hunt but we're going to burn the kid out. Away game, perfect time to let Ozzie have some time in goal. Not like we're going to win with either one of them ... I know pessimistic but realist.