Last summer, much of the discussion around the Detroit Red Wings was about how the team would rid themselves of Jimmy Howard and his big cap hit. Petr Mrazek had clearly taken over as the starting goaltender, and earned himself a nice two-year bridge deal that would pay him $4MM per season. Howard on the other hand had put up the worst season of his career, had just turned 32 and clearly didn’t have a future with the organization. 
Now, less than a year later that picture has muddied somewhat. Howard had a bounce-back season that was interrupted by injury, and Mrazek folded in the starter’s role with a weakened Red Wings team in front of him. Mrazek’s .901 save percentage was unacceptable, and the team missed the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century. The question now isn’t whether or not to protect Mrazek in the expansion draft—though it has been discussed—as he’s clearly still the more valuable piece at just 25 and still a restricted free agent following next year.
Instead, it’s what to do with Howard who still comes with a $5.3MM cap-hit but now is coming off an excellent season. His .927 save percentage put him behind only Sergei Bobrovsky, the expected Vezina winner, among goalies who started at least 20 games. He’s also been playing well at the World Championships, though that tournament comes with a large variance in opponent skill level. His season sample is rather small, but 24 games isn’t something to ignore; Scott Darling only started 27 games this season before being signed in Carolina, while other backups being considered for starting gigs Philipp Grubauer and Antti Raanta only played in 19 and 26 respectively.
Howard will be an option for Vegas, though his age and cap-hit make him an unlikely selection. With younger and cheaper options who provide close to as much upside, the Golden Knights likely will look elsewhere for their netminding in their inaugural season. So the Red Wings seem to have two options. Move Howard to a playoff-caliber team in desperate need of a goaltender—Calgary and Winnipeg immediately come to mind—or keep him around hoping a need emerges somewhere closer to the trade deadline. If Howard could duplicate the season he just had, he would likely be sought after as one of the top names on the market for anyone desperate enough for goaltending down the stretch.
One additional note is that Howard does hold a list of ten teams he cannot be traded to, though that clause expires following next season. The Wings could potentially move him anywhere when he has just a single year remaining on his deal. Either way, the Red Wings have some tough decisions to face when it comes to their long-time goaltender. After 401 career games in Motown, perhaps it’s time for him to find another place to play.
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