Detroit Red Wings Should Trade Jimmy Howard
By Joe Chapp
I’ve been the biggest Jimmy Howard fan imaginable. I’ve defended the Detroit Red Wings goaltender for quite some time now, but the end is near.
Howard shouldn’t be blamed for the Red Wings getting ousted in the first round in past years; nor should he be blamed for Red Wings terrible month of March.
Howard is a really good goaltender, but the job belongs to Petr Mrazek. Mrazek has shown he’s going to have a stellar career; while not as consistent as most would hope just yet. Mrazek played exponentially well against Tampa Bay who is one game away from the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Red Wings have pressing needs coming into this off-season. Dealing Howard away isn’t because of his play; it’s where the Red Wings stand from a financial stand point.
The Red Wings have so much uncertainty with key players such as Johan Franzen. Franzen is facing an up hill battle, he has sustained at least 10 concussions in his NHL career.
Franzen was a guy who the Red Wings valued over Marian Hossa. In hindsight that wasn’t smart, but before Franzen’s first concussion, he was the Red Wings big threat to score.
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Franzen is contemplating his future, but the team can’t afford to wait. One pressing issues the Red Wings are facing is they need to be going young. Yet their salaries are wrapped up in older players such as; Stephen Weiss, Johan Franzen, Johnathan Ericsson and Jimmy Howard.
Detroit needs to be proactive, starting with Jimmy Howard.
Detroit has a key piece that several teams would covet for; a starting goaltender. Edmonton, San Jose, Dallas, New York Islanders, Buffalo and possibly Calgary could all be interested in getting a new goal tender.
The free agent goalie crop is really weak. It’s headlined by Anti Niemi. However several teams could be looking to unload goalies. The Red Wings need to get into that group if they plan to go with Mrazek in the future.
Ottawa has a surplus in goalies as Andrew Hammond came out of no where and could compete for the starting job next year which likely means the Senators will try to unload Craig Anderson or Robin Lehner.
Do I think Jimmy Howard is a better goaltender than Craig Anderson or Robin Lehner? I do.
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Edmonton is young, and they have a problem despite getting the number one pick who we presume will be Connor McDavid. They still don’t have a goalie.
Despite the young prospect Laurent Brossoit, who long-term could be an answer to the Edmonton Oilers solution. He won’t be ready next year, Brossoit is a raw talent. He has the physical tools to be great, but scouts say they worry about the mental aspect.
Edmonton I’d expect will be in the market for a goalie like Howard. They have talent they could possibly unload and with Connor McDavid on the way, they need a reliable person in net.
Trading Jimmy Howard isn’t an indictment on Howard as a goalie, it’s more of a security blanket for the Red Wings to gain a little extra cap room.
In my mind, Howard is a starting goaltender. It doesn’t do any good to have him sitting on the bench, collecting his $5.3 million a year. I expect Ken Holland to get a couple calls on the Red Wings goaltender and depending on the package of the deal, I’d trade Jimmy Howard.
Jimmy Howard was good for the Red Wings, but the future is coming and Petr Mrazek will be the Red Wings starting goaltender for quite some time.
The Wings can’t wait, let Jimmy Howard start somewhere else and continue to build a Cup contending team.
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