Detroit Red Wings: Jimmy Howard’s trade stock plummeting

The Detroit Red Wings will be hard pressed to find a team interested in Jimmy Howard’s services little own the steep asking price of a first round pick that Ken Holland desires.

After back to back starts that have seen Jimmy Howard meet “captain hook” from his head coach Jeff Blashill the trade market will surely plummet. It appears Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland has once again missed the boat by holding on much too long to a pending free agent.

Last season Holland dropped the ball with Mike Green.  He gambled and held on to Green waiting for a “better” deal, and the defenseman injured his neck.  Teams shied away from Green although he returned to action prior to the trade deadline as they were nervous about his injury.  In that case, Green had a market earlier in the season, but Holland loves to hold on to his assets right up to the deadline, and it stung him last year, and it appears to have hurt him again.

Jimmy Howard gave up five goals in just a little over two periods of play on Saturday.  The Detroit Red Wings trailed 5-1 at the time of the skate of shame from the cage to the tunnel.  Jonathan Bernier came in and played very well.  He allowed his team to battle back into the game and eventually tie it late in the third period.

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The Wings lost in overtime, but Bernier was rock solid in relief.  Sunday Howard started on the bench but had to take over for Bernier to start the second period.  Bernier left the game after being bulled over with an apparent neck injury.

Last night Jimmy Howard had his arguably his worst game of the season.  He allowed 4 goals on only 8 shots.  It was ugly.  Before the game started, Jimmy Howard was recognized before the start of the game for appearing in 500 career games for the Detroit Red Wings.  His entire family was with him on the ice; goaltenders are sort of creatures of habit.  I’ve got to wonder if that had something to do with his performance?

Whatever it was, it wasn’t good, and he is trending down at the worst possible time. Ken Holland can be very stubborn at times; he talks about resigning players when he shouldn’t be saying anything at all.  Ken Holland should be working the phones to make this team better for the future.  This team isn’t going anywhere this season; he needs to have a plan to better this team moving forward.

Jimmy Howard won’t have a market if the asking price remains a firm first-round price tag.  There is no reason if a team like the Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks or Toronto Maple Leafs call that you do not take a third round offer.  Howard will be there on July 1st looking for a contract, that’s the time to negotiate with a 35-year-old player, not in February.

Howard going into last night’s game was 17-16-5 with a 2.80 GAA, and a 0.913 save percentage.  All of those statistics have taken a hit over the past week along with Howard’s trade stock.