Quote Originally Posted by Axeman33 View Post
I agree that Detroit has bad D but that being said, Jimmy Howard had a career year (granted cut short due to injuries) with that crappy D and Mrazek was sketchy at best.
Yeah... goalies are strange.
When a goalie gets that designated #1 slot... some guys slip a bit (as Price did) under this pressure of being the "chosen one".

Nothing about Howard's previous 3 seasons (.910 or less sv%) suggested he was still anything special.
Nothing about Mrazek's previous 3 seasons (.918 or better sv%) suggested he was anything but solid. (incl. great AHL & Calder Cup runs)
Personally, I think they both knew Mrazek was the 1a this year... that caused Mrazek to play tight, Howard to play loose.
(FWIW, Jaro Halak was .915sv% in that year that sophmore Carey Price was .905sv%)

Detroit is in a very obvious rebuild, so I just don't see the point of the organization hanging onto the 33yr old Howard over the 25yr old Mrazek.
I think goalies can slip for a year when they've just gotten the 1a net.

But maybe your are right, maybe Howard plays great behind a crappy defense and maybe Mrazek only plays great behind a decent defense.
That's a fair point that might be true.