Jimmy Howard will represent the Detroit Red Wings in San Jose

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard is in the midst of a terrific season, yet he becomes an all-star selection by default.  Before you get all uptight let me explain;

Jimmy Howard will represent the Detroit Red Wings in San Jose later this month as the teams all-star.  Every team is to be represented, and the injuries in net throughout the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division has left an opening for Howie to step in and play.

Howard has played exceptionally well this season, so it isn’t a “back-handed” compliment he deserves the honor, but usually, multiple players will not be selected from below average teams.  The one who loses out in all of this is Dylan Larkin.

Larkin is having a tremendous season; he is on pace for nearly an 80 point season.  A career year for Larkin that has already seen him tie and break the franchises’ overtime game-winning goal record in a single season.  With his overtime winner Friday night against the Preds, Larkin stands alone on the list with 4 OT goals.

He passed Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan and Herbie Lewis who all were tied with 3 in a single season.  We are just over the halfway mark and Larkin will have an opportunity to add to his record.

Larkin is the best skater on the ice every night for the Detroit Red Wings; he’s the leader and the hardest worker on the ice.  He will still get an opportunity to head to the SAP Center in San Jose.  He has been nominated to be one of the fan-voted players to the all-star game.  After the rosters were announced, the NHL appoints a handful of players to be voted upon to take the final roster spot on the team.  Larkin is in this group so there is a chance he can still represent the Detroit Red Wings.

Jimmy Howard gets the call along with Montreal Canadians netminder Carey Price.  With injuries to Fredrik Anderson of the Maple Leafs and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning the door was wide open and Howard has played his way into the all-star game.

Howard, of course, doesn’t have the best record but he is still a game over .500.  He’s posted an 11-10-5 record this season with a goals against average of 2.77 which is respectable, along with a .918% save percentage.

A quick comparison Carey Price is 16-11-4 with a 2.76 GAA, and a .908% save percentage.  One more comparison is to Freddy Anderson, 20-9-1 with a 2.50 GAA and a .923% save percentage.  Both netminders are on better teams, yet records aside Howard has played his way into the conversation with the better netminders in the league up to this point in the season.

He’s 35 and in the final year of his contract.  Goaltenders are at a premium right now in the league; the phone will be ringing for a team looking to make a playoff push or a contender looking for stability in net.  Howard will be a beautiful rental, and Ken Holland should eventually nab the first round pick in which he desires in exchange for his veteran goaltender.

A quick note, teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, have a handful of deserving all-star players yet only a few of them will be heading to San Jose.  I like the idea of every team being represented to help with the leagues brand, yet a player like Mitch Marner is left off the roster.  He’s arguably the Leafs top player, he and Norris Trophy candidate Morgan Rielly are left off of the roster by default.

The NHL all-star game will be played on January 26th at 8 pm ET.  It can be seen on NBC, CBC, SN.  For the folks who are interested in the skills, competition will take place the evening before on the 25th at 9 pm ET; it can be seen on NBCSN, CBC& SN.