Confirmed with Link: Jimmy Howard re-signed for 6 years 5.3m per year

[ArGarBarGar]

Miller has shown pretty good big-game ability.
Miller is also not locked in for 6 years.
Miller is a hometown guy and helps build a connection with the community.

To the first: Since 2007 he hasn't had many big games. He's made it to the playoffs twice and lost in the quarterfinals both times. 2010 had them as the 3rd seed and they were eliminated in six by the sixth seed Bruins and in 2011 they had a 3-2 series lead and lost it in seven. That's not what you want to see from a premium paid goaltender. Not to mention in 2007 he was tending statistically the best offense in the league.

The second: He is a UFA next year. Who probably will want to be locked in long term and won't want less than whatever Howard would have made. So you give up multiple assets for a goalie who is older, will be on the books for longer, and hasn't been past the first round in over 6 years.

The third: This will sell a few tickets, but isn't going to make the team any better, so I don't see what relevance it has.

If he is a UFA and you are out of options at goaltender then I say sure. But I am not trading a younger goaltender with a little less talent for him when the reality is there are much more important areas where this teams needs to improve.

 

[Winger98]

The general point is that Howard isn't a franchise goalie. And I don't think I back up the brinks truck and give him all the clauses he wants too.

I agree that Howard isn't a franchise goalie in the vein of a Roy or Hasek, guys who regularly steal games and occasionally series. And that we didn't get any sort of discount in the deal. But the NTC just isn't a big deal unless it runs the entire length of the deal. And even then, if it's not horribly restrictive, it's still not a big deal.

I'm not a fan of Howard's deal, but I don't think it's going to hurt us.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Howard can be our Kipper.

 

[The Korean*]

Waste of money, he is not a great goalie at all. Decent at best. He cant do anything without good defense.

 

[sarcastro]

Whoever.
Backstrom.
Maybe I trade one of my defensive prospects and a forward for Bernier.

With this defense, you'd be willing to go with "whoever" in the net?

Or with a 35 year old guy that has played his whole career with a trap team in front of him, who's 3-8 in the playoffs, and hasn't played a playoff minute since 2008. And who's still going to get paid big bucks by someone this summer.

The Kings wouldn't trade Bernier for Iginla, so I doubt they'll deal him for the Wings' loose change.

 

[InjuredChoker]

With this defense, you'd be willing to go with "whoever" in the net?

Or with a 35 year old guy that has played his whole career with a trap team in front of him, who's 3-8 in the playoffs, and hasn't played a playoff minute since 2008. And who's still going to get paid big bucks by someone this summer.

The Kings wouldn't trade Bernier for Iginla, so I doubt they'll deal him for the Wings' loose change.

Given the Wild goalie situation, It's almost certain they'll re-sign Bäckström for 2-3 years.

 

[sarcastro]

Given the Wild goalie situation, It's almost certain they'll re-sign Bäckström for 2-3 years.

They'll probably try, you're right.

This kind of backs up my point about the risks of not signing Howard - are you going to go to July 1st and hope there is a goalie left on the market who:

1. Is interested in playing here.
2. Is willing to take a low salary and/or short-term contract.
3. Doesn't insist on a NTC.
4. Doesn't completely suck.

You'll find a bunch of guys that fit conditions 1-3, but my guess is that MAYBE one or two will also fit condition 4. And many other teams will be after those players too.

They rolled the dice on UFAs last summer and came up empty. When they have a very good goalie in hand and can sign him to a deal that is fair in both term and cap hit, why take that risk?

 

[obey86]

This is a few games old I believe but still. He's been great down the stretch.

 

[cupforwings09]

Waste of money, he is not a great goalie at all. Decent at best. He cant do anything without good defense.

I think you forgot the .... otherwise I feel bad for your ignorance.

 

[LarKing]

Yeah this dude sucks, should've let him go and signed a different scrub

 

[Konnan511]

On the year he has above a .920 save percentage. That's pretty good with having 3 rookies and Kronwall playing defense.

 

[sarcastro]

This is a few games old I believe but still. He's been great down the stretch.

It's downright criminal the way he's played that he's 9-10 in that stretch.

 

[Bench]

Month of April

4-3-3
1.60 GAA
.940 SV%
2 shutouts

Not bad for the biggest crunch of the season.

 

[obey86]

Since March 1st:

21 games started, 3 shutouts, 10-6-5
1.73 GAA, .937 S%

So for basically the entire 2nd half of the season he has statistically been the best goalie in the NHL.

 

[WesNichols14]

Since March 1st:

21 games started, 3 shutouts, 10-6-5
1.73 GAA, .937 S%

So for basically the entire 2nd half of the season he has statistically been the best goalie in the NHL.

sounds like a guy worth 5-5.5 mil a year to me the length is still a little long but compared to other goalies putting up similar numbers its normal.

 

[ProPAIN]

He's one of the major reasons we're even in the playoff race. Yeah $5.3million is a bit much, he had a nightmare of a game against Calgary, but this guy competes.

Just needs to find that form in the shootouts though, but that doesn't matter in the playoffs.

 

[Hendricks433]

Since March 1st:

21 games started, 3 shutouts, 10-6-5
1.73 GAA, .937 S%

So for basically the entire 2nd half of the season he has statistically been the best goalie in the NHL.

With a very young and weak defense as well.

 

[Winger98]

Jimmy has definitely stepped up the past month or so.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

I get this feeling, one of these years, Jimmy's going to play like this all year and be a Vezina candidate. Over the past two seasons he's had extended periods where he's been playing like an elite goalie. But the injury really hurt him last year and he (the team) had a rugh start this ear. I guess we'll see.

 

[Laser Rayzor]

Details on the NTC and NMC, per cap geek

KNOWN CLAUSES (note: if player has been traded, clauses may no longer apply): NMC (through 2014-15); NTC (2015-16 through 2017-18; player can supply 10-team no-trade list)

 

[InjuredChoker]

Details on the NTC and NMC, per cap geek

Was just about to post that; that is much better than what I originally thought. Basically non-issue.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

Was just about to post that; that is much better than what I originally thought. Basically non-issue.

Yep, it seems like Holland is indeed looking ahead to the future and they do have Mrazek penciled in to be up here somewhat soon.

 

[SoupNazi]

Not bad on the clauses.

 

[Shoalzie]

This is a few games old I believe but still. He's been great down the stretch.

Aside from kicking a couple pucks in the net in Calgary, I can't say enough good things about the way he's playing. He's worth the money right now and imagine if they actually had a good blueline in front of him.

 

[cjm502]

every goalie has a few shaky games here and there but he is pretty solid in net, you cant ask for much more.