What the Detroit Red Wings have to do due to Howard injury
Jan 10, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; A Detroit Red Wings trainer calls for a stretcher after Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) is injured against the Washington Capitals in the first period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
In a game against the Washington Capitals this past Saturday the Detroit Red Wings lost a huge part of their team in what was a seemingly simple play. In an attempt to make a save Goalie Jimmy Howard slide into the goal post and while the goal was already scored the all-star goalie laid flat on the ice until he was eventually taken off the ice on a stretcher.
Sunday Howard was given an MRI and it was discovered that he had a slight groin tear. He will have gone under another test Monday to see what the real damage is to Howard. The Red Wings put Howard on IR and at this moment it is unknown exactly how long Howard will be out for the Red Wings.
With the loss of Howard the Red Wings are put into a tough spot. They are already are down their starting season back up in Jonas Gustavsson. He went down early in the season with a shoulder injury and is not super close to returning. Reports have him still being two to three more weeks before being ready.
So throughout the season we have seen goalie Petr Mrazek, who has had some success in off days for Howard. With their starting goalie out, Mrazek now has to step up and be the goalie who gets it done. Really this is a good position for the 22 year-old Czech. He gets the chance to prove that he can be the future goaltender for the Red Wings. A good showing in the absence of Howard could easily win him the backup goalie position for the rest of the season.
As fans, losing an All Star goalie is scary and could result in some really rough times for the team, however understand that and don’t call Mrazek a terrible goalie and call for him to be outed if things don’t go well. He is a good goalie who is only 22, he should fit right in with the younger guys on the team who are also finding their role on the team.
Howard is going to miss the NHL All Star game this year and more than likely a Red Wing will go to replace him. However that means that the Red Wings will be without him until at least the end of the month. They have eight games left in the month of January.
Four of those games are against good teams. They play St. Louis, Nashville, Tampa Bay and the New York Islanders. Those games I would like them to get at least a point here and there. However it is when they play Buffalo twice, Minnesota and Florida, I expect them to get two points. Even if Mrazek is in net against those three teams the Red Wings should still win those games.
Those close games that the Red Wings like to go into a good amount of the time against teams they probably shouldn’t be, become must win games. The team has to start winning against the Florida’s and Buffalos of the league, so those games against the teams above them are a little easier to maybe let slip. Which that does sound terrible, but we just lost an All Star goalie so salvaging the rest of this month is all I want this team to do.
What do you guys think the Detroit Red Wings have to do while Jimmy Howard is out with injury? Let us know down below!