Jimmy Howard, All-Star?
Detroit — If his buddies have anything to do with it, Jimmy Howard is going to the NHL All-Star Game.
The game is Jan. 29 in Ottawa, and Howard isn't on the official ballot, so he's getting voted as a write-in candidate.
But many of Howard's friends from his hometown of Ogdensburg, N.Y., which Howard said is about 45 minutes away, are going online and doing their duty of voting for Howard every day, as often as they can, and hoping to put Howard in his first All-Star Game.
"They're all fired up," Howard said late last week. "They've voting and they all want me there."
Whether Howard gets there remains to be seen (he ranks 11th right now with more than 71,000 votes) but based on his play alone, it'll be tough for the NHL operations department to leave him out of the game.
Few goalies have been better this season.
Howard ranks first in the league in wins (17), tied for second in shutouts (three), second in goals-against average (1.85) and seventh in save percentage (.931).
At 27 years old and in his third NHL season, Howard appears to have found his place in the league: Side by side among the best goalies in the game.
"I just feel comfortable being out there," Howard said. "This is my third year here and I feel I can be a difference-maker out there.
"I had confidence coming out of the playoffs last year and I've just tried to keep it going."
A turning point likely came after Howard signed a two-year contract worth $4.5 million last season at the trade deadline.
Instead of worrying about free agency and where he might wind up, Howard knew his immediate future was going to be in Detroit.
The stability of that, especially with he and wife Rachel expecting their first child (James IV was born last month), seemed to provide a huge difference.
Howard was one of the Wings' best players in the playoffs and it's carried into this season.
"He's giving us a chance to win every game," forward Henrik Zetterberg said. "He's doing all you can ask of a goalie."
By gaining experience and understanding the ups and downs of the position, Howard seems to have a found, according to coach Mike Babcock, a balance elite goalies need to have.
"He just plays," Babcock said. "When he gives up a bad one (goal), he just keeps doing good things. It's like water off a duck's back."
Part of the credit for Howard's development in the NHL has to go to the Wings' decision to keep him marinating in the minor leagues.
Howard spent four seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, awaiting his eventual full-time call-up by the Wings.
"In hindsight it was very beneficial," said Howard, who admits it was sometimes frustrating waiting for his NHL opportunity. "You want to up here, you're working hard, and when you get your opportunity you want to take advantage of it.
"Being a black ace (a playoff call-up) was truly a blessing in disguise. Watching Dom (Dominik Hasek) and Ozzie (Chris Osgood) and how they handled situations and how they handled it with ease, it was good for me to see that."
And he's learned the lessons well enough to possibly make his first All-Star Game and be among the best of the best.
If it happens, great. If not, Howard can definitely live with that, too.
"I'd be able to spend time with my family, which is fantastic," Howard said. "(But) it would be a tremendous opportunity and I'm sure it would be a lot of fun. Just to be in the talks (of) possibly being an All-Star is nice considering the road I've taken."
From The Detroit News:
http://detnews.com/article/20111212...Howard-proving-he’s-an-All-Star#ixzz1gN0oDoUw
