To say it's been a bad season for Detroit Red Wings netminder Jimmy Howard would be a huge understatement. The team itself is pretty awful, winning just 12 of 53 games so far this season. But, for Howard, who was named to the NHL All-Star game three times (2012, 2015, 2019) including an appearance last season, 2019-20 has been nothing short of a complete flop.
With Detroit's loss to the New York Rangers Friday night, Howard's record dropped to 2-20-2 in 24 games. That puts Howard's win percentage at a dismal 8.3 percent. His goals against average this season now sits at 4.12, while his save percentage is .884. That's well below the league averages of 2.85 and .908. One would think given Detroit's troubles this season that fellow goaltender Jonathan Bernier's stats would be similar to Howard's, but that is not the case. Bernier has a record of 10-12-2, with a GAA of 2.99 and a .904 save percentage. The numbers still aren't great but they are much better than Howard's.
Perhaps even worse than his numbers, Howard is making $4 million this season. Once 2019-20 ends, the 35-year-old will become a free agent. Given his age and his numbers this year, the only way he lands a spot in the NHL will be with a massive pay cut.
