Wings goalie Howard addresses trade rumors

The veteran has heard the chatter, but does he have one foot out the door already?

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Wings goalie Howard addresses trade rumors
Zuma Press

During his offseason meetings with general manager Ken Holland and head coach Jeff Blashill, Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard was told that he hasn’t been good enough. Plain and simple. According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Howard said he and the organization both discussed how he needed to get his save percentage from .910 to “.915 or .920.” More than a quarter into the 2018-19 season and Howard is sitting pretty with a .922 save percentage.

“I don’t look at numbers anymore,” he laughed on Tuesday. “I used to when I was younger, but not looking comes with maturity. Sometimes it doesn’t tell the whole story. The only time I talk about it is with the media or my goalie coach. I have to be in my own little bubble, have to play well every single night. Give us a chance.”

The Red Wings had a tough start to the season, but they’ve battled hard the past three weeks and have looked like a whole new team lately. Still, with such a young roster and with intense competition in the NHL’s Atlantic Division, things don’t look great for the team’s playoffs hopes. With the future in mind and with Howard playing so well, could Holland finally pull the trigger on a trade centred around his long-time goaltender?

Reports seem to indicate that the team is interested in re-signing the pending free agent, but Howard insists that no negotiations have taken place yet.

“There hasn’t been dialogue as of yet,” he said. “But everyone knows how I feel about the city and the organization. And how much it would mean to finish as a Red Wing.”

That doesn’t sound like the words of a man who is looking for a change of scenery. For better or worse, it looks like the Jimmy Howard Era will continue in Detroit for the foreseeable future.