Detroit Red Wings: Grading the goaltenders 2019-20 performances
By Tyler Kotila
Jonathan Bernier, Grade: A
In a shocking development, the Detroit Red Wings found out that Jonathan Bernier was going to pass Howard up for the starting job by the end of the year. On a team that was as horrid as the Red Wings, it is hard to hand out an “A” to many of the players, but Bernier earned it.
Going into the year, Bernier was the shaky backup who would find his way into the net in some games, but as Howard fell off and eventually got injured, it was his time to shine. Bernier would go on to make forty-one starts on the season, producing a 15-22-3 record on the year.
He would also manage a .907 SV% and a 2.95 GAA on the 2019-20 season, which is pretty impressive on the struggling Red Wings team. He would only allow more than three goals in fourteen of his forty-six appearances on the season, still managing to bring home the win in one of those contests for the Red Wings.
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After Howard got injured, Bernier was able to vault himself into the starting job where he spent the rest of the season.
There were some rumors that Bernier could get traded, but ultimately he would stay put with the thought that if he were moved, the Red Wings goalie situation would be horrific.
That being said, Bernier is on the books for $3 million for the 2020-21 season, where he could be a valuable trade chip depending on how his level of play is.
If he continues to post a low GAA and keep the Red Wings in games next season, there is no reason why he would not be a valuable trade piece. For the time being, without a free agent signing, the Red Wings will have to call up Pickard to serve as the backup to Bernier.
However, with the way Bernier excelled during the 2019-20 season is well-deserving of the starting job. Let’s be honest; no one wants to see Pickard in net for the Red Wings.
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All-in-all, Bernier’s excellence in keeping the Red Wings in games, even with a rough record, has been well-deserving of an “A,” which is tough to give out on this struggling team.