Son of a Wing 1,644 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Elite: Lundqvist, Rinne and possibly now Quick. Then there's everyone else... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedWingCraig 32 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 I lived thru the Cujo era...sigh... Try the Cheveldae era Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vladdy16 2,154 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Same. I remember the dead wing era too. sigh sigh... lol Howard and Mrazek. Can't really get much better than that. It would be nitpicking at that point. Although...Mrazek hasn't really been tested at the NHL level yet. But he's pretty much a good to go. Cujo signed in 2002; hardly trying times for Wings fans. That being said, let's please not turn this into a goalie wars thread. This is a very interesting and worthy topic; I'd hate to see the thread get pulled for a few people who want to dredge up old times and beat them to death yet again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
achildr1 255 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Howard is not top ten, hes top 15, but he's not top 6-8 for sure. Name me ten better goalies who've played more than a year and a half. Go.... Try the Cheveldae era Trump. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dynheart 42 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 (edited) I consider elite to be top 2-3 goalies in the league, and usually not flash in the pans either, long term success goes into being elite or else Eliot/Mason/Nemi/etc would be 'elite' because they had one or two good season then faded. I get what you are saying. Howard is a consistent goalie in my opinion. 4 seasons. 3 out of the 4 he's been in the top 10, or higher, in every stat....while being a workhorse. Sophomore slump year. Does anyone remember that year? He was a sub .900/ 3.00+ goalie all year...signs the contract...Bam! He's rookie Howard for the rest of the season (with a little bit better rebound control). Goes into the playoffs and plays well. He salvaged that year because he played like the Jimmy we know today the last quarter of the season (there abouts). Makes you wonder if that was his issue all year: "Am i going to get signed? Am I trade bait?" Sign him earlier and I wonder if that second season wouldn't look so bad. But that's just an observation of mine, And something that I cannot ever prove, or we'll ever know. It's written in history now. My point with that is, is he was more than capable that year to play like his first season...his third season and 4th season, but the contract year (and Holland holding out all season) messed with his head. When he got signed...he played like Jimmy Howard (like a top 10 goalie). No wonder he was making a big deal about it this year; not wanting it to get to his head. It's a theory of mine...but look at the stats. It all fits. But back to the thread at hand. He's been getting better every year. I think he peaks in about 2 more years and holds it till about 35.Typical goalie. So 6-8 isn't for fetched. Realistically? He'' probably top out at 8. Edited June 26, 2013 by Dynheart Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedWingCraig 32 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 I think Howard is going to keep getting better and better especially if we continue to upgrade and get rid of some dead weight Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Axe Report post Posted June 26, 2013 I like Howard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richdg 267 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Are we debating Howard again? You know the guy with a BETTER career save % than Brodeur, that Howard!!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crashnburnluder 385 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 I think this season will be Howards best season and I think he will get Vezina talk. Last season he was getting plenty of Vezina talk until he got injured and that knocked him off his game. This season he started out badly but I blame that on not playing a game for 9 months. In this shortened off season I think Howard will be among the best in the NHL. I dont think he will dominate one stat but overall I think he will be one of the best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thegerkin 189 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Try the Cheveldae era I was JUST going to add Tim Cheveldae-on (vs Kevin Chevelday-off) and Norm "Sure As Hell Ain't No" Maracle Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martinezsvsu 240 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 hes a top 10 goalie according to my vision test Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Lundquist, Miller, Rask, Rinne, Thomas (if he plays again), Quick, Ward, Andersson are all clearly bettere I think he is around 12 - 15 which is average - good but not elite. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crymson Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Lundquist, Miller, Rask, Rinne, Thomas (if he plays again), Quick, Ward, Andersson are all clearly bettere I think he is around 12 - 15 which is average - good but not elite. Lundquist, Rinne, Quick, and Rask, sure. Anderson does not play enough to make his worth clear, and he has some bad games. Ward is good but not elite. Thomas has not played in over a year. Miller has been in decline for several seasons now. He is no longer 2010 Olympics Miller or 2010 Vezina Miller, and he has not been for some time. I'd place Lundquist, Rinne, Quick, and Rask definitively ahead of Howard. With the rest of the very good goaltenders, it's a toss-up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miksteri 55 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Id put Niemi ahead of Howard too... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingsfan4795 552 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Id put Niemi ahead of Howard too...I hope that was a joke... The guy just played his first good year of his career Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nev 1,085 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Holland as much as said the other day that Mrazek will be in Grand Rapids until his waiver exemptions are gone. That is 3 years from now, he'd rather him playing 60 games in Grand Rapids than playing 20 in Detroit. That's not quite what he said. He said Gustavsson was under contract next season and they would rather Mrazek played 60 games in the AHL at this moment. Depending on their play in 13-14, decides their destinies in 14-15. If Gustavsson turns into Conklin 2.0, and Mrazek has the traditional struggles with the "difficult 2nd album" then Mrazek stays inthe AHL. Mrazek continues his improvements and Monster does nothing ,then Mrazek will be backing up Jimmeh in 2 years time. Hopefully the latter. I don't want to see Jimmeh keep playing 60-odd games per season and being ground into dust by Babcock. 1 Hockeymom1960 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoalieManPat 1,007 Report post Posted June 26, 2013 Goalie stats are affected by the team in front of them. A goalie that plays on a good defensive team would have better stats with them than he would on a team that isn't as good defensively. Which helps his case even more since hes been playing behind the worste defenses the Wings have had since the early 90's and still putting up top 10 numbers. 2 DatsyukianDekes and Opie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newfy 695 Report post Posted June 27, 2013 He had one average year and the rest he has played like a top 10 goalie, this year he played borderline top 5ish I would say. His games played, combined with his stats including leading the league in shut outs which is overlooked here. I think hes probably around 9. I would take him over Miller now for sure Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
