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Guest The Axe

Howard = Average

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I agree with this. I don't know how many years are left on Howard's contract but isn't he going to be asking for a pay raise when the time comes? I think there will be a problem then, but for right now we need to focus on repairing our shattered defense.

In my personal opinion, big emphasis on MY PERSONAL, I think Jimmy is the type of guy that would take a hometown discount. Basically saying, I think he wants to be a franchise goalie, he wants to be a Red Wing for his career. It's always struck me like that from day one, and honestly I couldn't see the guy going somewhere else. So, with that, I honestly can't see Jimmy asking for some outrageous contract, especially when he can be very judgmental of himself and his play. He will blame himself for losses that weren't even on him, he strives to give the team every chance he can, I love that motivation from him. Hell, he was our only enforcer for a few!

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I wouldn't give him any kind of pay increase unless he steals lots of games and improves his crappy stats.

Unfortunately, the Wings don't have ready goalies in the minors like everyone else seems to have plenty of. Maybe Mrazek, but he's young and we don't know if he can handle the NHL yet.

We will find out soon enough if Mrazek is ready.

How much do you think he will ask for and how much do you think he is worth?

I think he will get 4 years 12-14 million. We don't have a lot of options, and the coaches and management have a lot of faith in him.

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Well that's it...Lets send Hank, or Dats to Vancouver for Luongo ;)

In reality - our D isn't very good; too many 2 on 1's, too many break aways, and our D isn't very good at clearing the opposition away from the crease.

J-Ho isn't the issue here.

I don't think J-Ho is a nickname you want to call someone you like...

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Howard is not the problem, the Red Wings lead the league on 2 on 1's, and breakaways the highest chance of scoring chances there are, it's not a surprise his stats reflect.

The only thing we can come to a judgement on is that Howard is not a generational type goalie that can steal games behind the worst defense in the league.

But I'd like to hear what current goalies in the NHL can? A goalies stats are so reliant on the defense in front of them, Mike Smith was a top 5 goalie last year, solely because of the defensive system. Brian Elliot and Halak are another examples of system goalies. Who are the Hasek's of today's age? The elite goalies of today struggle just as much as we are seeing Jimmy struggle now. RInnie had a .911, 2.53 GAA season, Quick had a .907, 2.54 season and currently has a sub .900 SV% like Jimmy. Haseek had a .896 SV% 3.25 GAA Season. Curtis Joseph .886 SV% 3.44 GAA. Patrick Roy had a .875 SV% 3.35 GAA. These are at least 40 game segments of "elite" goalies, Are all these goalie not capable of stealing games? No. They just played on poor defensive teams, much like Jimmy is playing behind right now.

I think Howard get taken for granted a lot here, watch other teams. Rebounds happen on each and every goalie. It's true Howard hasn't been amazing this stretch, but put whatever other elite goalie you want behind the team leading the league in odd man rushes and you'll have the same result each and every time. To give you an idea Jimmy Howard has a better career SV% to Martin Brodeur and Patrick. Not that it means anything, the game has changed a bit, but it shows that Howard can win games, and be an all-star goalie for a cheaper salary.

Edited by Carman

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The only reason I can think of as to why people are blaming any of the Wings' poor performance on Jimmy Howard is....ignorance. They simply don't understand the game, and can't recognize that this is the worst Defensive squad that this team has put together since...

Since the 80s? I'm too young to answer this one.

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The only reason I can think of as to why people are blaming any of the Wings' poor performance on Jimmy Howard is....ignorance. They simply don't understand the game, and can't recognize that this is the worst Defensive squad that this team has put together since...

Since the 80s? I'm too young to answer this one.

The only reason I can think of as to why people are blaming any of the Wings' poor performance on Jimmy Howard is....ignorance. They simply don't understand the game, and can't recognize that this is the worst Defensive squad that this team has put together since...

Since the 80s? I'm too young to answer this one.

Lol, don't bother with wondering why wings fans do what they do. Since I have been a fan of the wings (maybe 93' when I was around 5) all I can remember hearing from fellow wings fans was "osgood is garbage get rid of him" "we will never win with vernon" "Hasek is washed up, this team is going down the drain" "our goalie is the reason we lost" "it's all the goalies fault" "Legace is such a terrible goalie" blah blah blah... wings fans are so awful to the goalies, then they look back and talk about them like they were Gods and loved him all along. "well he's nowhere near Osgood or Hasek caliber" "at this point I would take maracle back" "Howard isn't elite like Ozzy was"... funny 15 years ago you said Ozzy would never be "elite" even after they win a cup, everything is still the goalies fault. We only won cause of our defense, our goalie was sub par... get a life people

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The only reason I can think of as to why people are blaming any of the Wings' poor performance on Jimmy Howard is....ignorance. They simply don't understand the game, and can't recognize that this is the worst Defensive squad that this team has put together since...

Since the 80s? I'm too young to answer this one.

Well, by simple virtue of not having Lids on the blueline any defensive corps is going to take a major step down so yeah, you'd have to go back to the days when #5 was Darren Veitch. And right now Kindl is looking like another Yves Racine. (i'm old :P)

But yeah, this is a very piecemeal looking collection. A lot of middle pairing guys at best, many of whom aren't even playing like a middle pairing.

Howard isn't anywhere near the top of the problems with the Wings right now. He's not elite but very good. And with the cap continuing to get ratcheted down it's probably better to have a value goaltender than having a ton of cap space tied up in one player.

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Howard kept is in a lot of games until now. Where were you then?

We lose, Howard sucks, every forward sucks, every defender sucks, the world is ending, get the razorblades and candles it's time to check out!

We win, we're awesome, life is good and we're acting as peppy as a guy in an ad for boner pills.

I wonder why I even come here after a loss.

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Howard kept is in a lot of games until now. Where were you then?

We lose, Howard sucks, every forward sucks, every defender sucks, the world is ending, get the razorblades and candles it's time to check out!

We win, we're awesome, life is good and we're acting as peppy as a guy in an ad for boner pills.

I wonder why I even come here after a loss.

Cuz you love it. I usually try to wait until the next day so I can see the whole storm for what is was.

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They have lost Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Stuart on the blueline that is a huge defensive dropoff. Howard has also played every game this season. Played 2 good games against Dallas, should have won against the Blackhawks but the Wings could not buy a goal, first game against St. Louis was not his fault at all, and these last two games have been a result of no rest for him and the team playing poorly in front of him.

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They have lost Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Stuart on the blueline that is a huge defensive dropoff. Howard has also played every game this season. Played 2 good games against Dallas, should have won against the Blackhawks but the Wings could not buy a goal, first game against St. Louis was not his fault at all, and these last two games have been a result of no rest for him and the team playing poorly in front of him.

This pretty much sums it up.

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Right now Howard could use a break but the one who makes that choice apparently likes the option of Howard playing opposed to resting. Fair enough.

The problem is that he can't rest. You have to throw in someone like McCollum or Mzarek because the Monster is still hurt.

Putting either of those guys in would be detrimental to them and the team in all likelihood when we are struggling to win games as it is.

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If you want to start pointing blame on this team then both Jimmy and Z would be at the end of the list. Our defense is awful. Kronwall couldn't clear the net on the Flames first goal and both E and Kronner were standing right in front of Jimmy on the third goal which was the back breaker. The problem is that the Wings don't have a 1/2 defense pairing. They are playing guy's like Cleary, Miller, Eaves, Abby, Sammy instead of bringing guy's like Tatar and Gus up for some much needed 3rd line offense. Tootoo Helm Abby/Miller should be the 4th line after that it should be offense on the top 3 and speed. If Ken Holland and Mike Babcock can't get this team into the playoffs and they don't bring in some change then one of them has to go because its a what have you done for me lately job and Ken Holland has not done s*** lately besides sign washed up has beens. It is a short season and we don't have time for s***ty effort sorry.

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I don't think Howard's great or as good as his biggest fans here do, but he's at the very least more than capable of being an above average to very good goalie, and he has shown that he's capable of greatness in certain moments. I also feel like he's gotten a raw deal here from the start too.

Babcock's consistently rode him very hard, rarely giving him a break, especially in his first couple years when he should've been given a lower-pressure role to adjust to the NHL, and he should not have been dropped into the playoffs as early as he was. I tend to think that he'd be a bit steadier now if he had been given a smoother transition into the NHL. And again, just day to day, I think he'd be a bit better if given breaks a little more often. I think Babcock does a lot of things right, but I don't like the way he manages goalies.

Obviously it's a rough situation right now with injuries and McCollum and a shortened schedule and more pressure, but I just don't think it's good to have your goalie starting the vast majority of games unless he's one of the very few elite goalies who have proven that they can handle it. Those goalies proved it in the playoffs; Howard hasn't done that yet. But like I said, I don't think he's had a fair shake heading into the playoffs. He was the only bright spot last year in the playoffs, but that's unfortunately not saying much either.

In any event, I don't think you can hold much of what's gone on this season against him. He's been fairly good with a crap team in front of him that gets crappier with every injury. And he hasn't gotten a single break this year so far!!! Just because he's not stealing every game and racking up shutouts against all odds this season doesn't make him "average."

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I was not a big fan of Howard. I really didn't like how he was called up seemingly because he was out of option years. I didn't think he was ready, and thought didn't belong in the organization. I felt his rebound control was a huge issue and that his angles needed a lot of work. I've come around on most of these lines of thinking, as he is solid now but I still don't feel he is elite. I doubt I ever will. More like, above average.

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Guest The Axe

Im glad everyone recognizes that he's not elite. Thats my main point. With the squad we got right now, we need an elite keeper.

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