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Jonathan Bernier was a sneaky great signing for the Detroit Red Wings

By Ash Thompson

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - NOVEMBER 11: Jonathan Bernier #45, goaltender of Colorado Avalanche lets the puck in to the net to make it 1-0 on a shot from Mike Hoffman #68 of Ottawa Senators during the 2017 SAP NHL Global Series match between Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators at Ericsson Globe on November 11, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Nils Petter Nilsson/Ombrello/Getty Images)
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - NOVEMBER 11: Jonathan Bernier #45, goaltender of Colorado Avalanche lets the puck in to the net to make it 1-0 on a shot from Mike Hoffman #68 of Ottawa Senators during the 2017 SAP NHL Global Series match between Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators at Ericsson Globe on November 11, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Nils Petter Nilsson/Ombrello/Getty Images) /
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The signing of Jonathan Bernier was the type of solid decision making that the Detroit Red Wings need to kickstart their rebuild

The Detroit Red Wings are in the middle of a rebuild. There is little doubt of that. The Red Wings, however, have made a few solid moves this season that will kick-start that process. The signing of Jonathan Bernier is one of those.

Bernier was the number eleven pick in the 2006 draft. He came up through the Kings organization and showed a great deal of potential in his years as their backup goaltender.

He went to Toronto and took the starting role. He began strongly, posting a .922 save percentage on 49 starts in 2013-14. The following year he showed what he actually is. On 55 starts for a tanking team, he still managed a .912 save percentage.

In the middle of an injury-plagued third season in Toronto, another in which the team traded away anyone that played well enough to help the team win, Bernier’s save percentage dropped to .908, the lowest of his career.

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Bernier has put in two solid campaigns since then: One for the Anaheim Ducks, and another for the Colorado Avalanche. He has not been the number one goaltender in either stop, but when called upon he has provided a .914 save percentage, and a .552 quality start percentage.

Jimmy Howard, on the other hand, has had a better than .910 save percentage once in the last five seasons. His quality start percentage dropped to .491 last year. He is not a starting caliber goaltender anymore. Next year the team is out from under his bloated $5,291,666 cap hit.

Holland signed Bernier to a three-year, $9 million contract this offseason. In doing so he improved his goaltending situation. There is an old saying in Hockey. Goaltending is 50% of hockey unless you don’t have it, then it’s 100%. The Red Wings have at least passable goaltending for three years.

Thomas Vanek was a good singing, NTC and all. dark. Next

The Red Wings may not have made a huge splash in free agency, but they did shore up a few glaring weaknesses for relatively small costs. It may be that Ken Holland is finally learning from his many mistakes.

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