Goaltending Issues Abound

In light of the start of the upcoming regular season schedule, there are many questions surrounding the Detroit Red Wings. Fans are hoping that general manager Ken Holland will somehow figure out how to solve their defensive woes by potentially bringing in a capable top-four blue-liner.

 

However, the most glaring issue with the Red Wings will certainly be goaltending.

 

As it stands, the team has close to $10 million in cap space allocated to Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek. Many are pointing to Howard’s abysmal 26-save performance in Tuesday night’s 6-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks as the final nail in the coffin for a player past his prime. However, at a $5,291,667 cap hit until the end of 2019, there’s no telling just how much interest other teams will show in the 32-year-old. Moreover, his .910 save percentage in 53 appearances last season does not reflect numbers of a starting goaltender.

 

 

On the other hand, 24-year-old Petr Mrazek is slowly entering his prime and at a $4 million cap hit for the next two years, his contract is significantly easier for the Red Wings to digest. The Czech has performed well with a .921 save percentage last year, and is the man of the hour for the time being.

 

Still, Grand Rapids Griffins goalie Jared Coreau has done more than impress the Wings’ brass during the preseason. In a perfect world, Coreau would second Mrazek for the 2016-2017 season. This could create a friendly competition between the two players, as Mrazek would acknowledge his backup’s talent and how easily he can have his job stolen from him.