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Jimmy Howard makes statement, but knows his place with Red Wings

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Getty Images

NEW YORK – The New York Rangers skated in on Jimmy Howard in waves. The scoreboard at the end of the Detroit Red Wings’ 2-1 victory at Madison Square Garden read ’32 saves,’ but that was a shallow evaluation of Howard’s night: The breakaways, odd-man rushes and high-percentage scoring chances he stopped en route to that victory.

“We found a way on the road to get a ‘W’ and that counts for something,” he said after the game on Wednesday night, still catching his breath.

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It was Howard’s first appearance since April 15, when he gave up four goals on 30 shots in Game 2 of the Wings’ first-round loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Petr Mrazek had moved ahead of him on the Wings’ depth chart.

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Howard was once the Red Wings’ starter; suddenly, he was a financial anchor on the Detroit salary cap: Making $5.3 million for each of the next three seasons. He wasn’t going to request a trade. But he knew the economic reality of his situation meant he could be moved. “It would be disappointing. I’ve met a lot of great people in this city, made a lot of great friends. That’s the nature of this business. Sometimes you got to pack up and move on,” he said in April.

Howard wasn’t moved. He’s back again for Detroit, a $5.3 million backup goalie.

“I never wanted to leave. On the business side of things you never know. But I never wanted to leave. I love this team,” said Howard on Tuesday.

Staying with the Wings meant wrapping his head around the backup role in a way he hadn’t last season.

“Let’s be honest: Right now, Pete’s the No. 1,” he said. “I think I know how to handle this situation better now. Last year I didn’t quite understand how to be the backup. I’ve never done it before. I fully understand the role now, and how to keep mentally sharp in-between starts.”

For Howard, that’s meant “living in the moment” and “being ready to work, being ready to learn.” That meant committing to the summer plan of new goalie coach Jeff Salajko, as well as some tweaks to his technique suggested by Salajko. “There’s still a little transition there for me. There were times tonight when I was a little too aggressive,” said Howard after the Rangers game.

But he wasn’t overly aggressive. And in his first start of the season, he was rather outstanding. It was the kind of effort that make the argument for increased playing time, or at least starts the discussion about it.

Yet Howard doesn’t necessarily see it as a statement game.

“Every game is a statement. Every single night you have to go out there and re-prove yourself. If you don’t do that, this game can chew you up and spit you out,” he said.

But if it wasn’t a statement effort, is he content to be the backup for the Red Wings this season?

“You guys all know the answer to that,” said Howard to the reporters around his locker.


Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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