WTFchris
09-24-2007, 10:51 AM
Howard back on track to start in '08
by Ansar KhanMonday September 24, 2007, 8:14 AM
DETROIT -- The high hopes the Detroit Red Wings had for Jimmy Howard were deflated a bit after an inconsistent 2006-07 season in Grand Rapids. Now, that faith has been restored after a summer of hard work showed the Red Wings that Howard is indeed on track to be their goaltender of the future.
A lighter, quicker, better-conditioned Howard excelled in training camp and has been sharp in the preseason.
"He made a commitment to fitness and now it's starting to pay off for him," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "He's happy to see you because he's proud, he's not hiding. Anytime you work as hard as he did in the off-season you've earned the right to feel good about yourself. The guys are proud of you and you should feel proud of yourself."
No matter how well Howard plays the last week of the preseason, he will not unseat Chris Osgood as the Red Wings' backup. Howard will start the year with the Griffins and will be recalled only if Dominik Hasek or Osgood is injured. With Hasek likely to retire after the season and Osgood also in the final year of his contract, the Red Wings expect Howard to secure the starting job next season.
"Expectations should be high, being a second-round pick (64th overall in 2003)," Howard said. "They stuck with me for two years and I'm very appreciative of it and I want to show them I'm capable of being their goalie of the future."
Howard, 23, skipped his final collegiate season at Maine to sign with the Red Wings in 2005. After a good first year as a pro, when he went 27-6-2 with a 2.58 goals-against average in Grand Rapids, Howard wasn't as sharp last season (21-21-3, 2.70 GAA), when he played on a weaker team and battled a midseason ankle injury.
He dropped about 20 pounds by improving his diet and training habits in the off-season. It's enabled him to play with higher intensity for a longer period of time.
"I really paid attention to my body," Howard said. "Just watching the carbs. I have that type of body where if I eat carbohydrates, I'm done. I'm eating my big meal in the afternoon and snacking throughout the day, snacking on the right foods. Just cut out the sugars and everything like that."
A seemingly minor change in goalie sticks, on the advice of Red Wings goaltending coach Jim Bedard, has also made a huge difference.
"I didn't even realize I'd been playing about five years with a paddle that was too short for me and a blade that wasn't as long as I could use," the 6-foot-1 Howard said. "So we lengthened the blade and the paddle to get me more upright. I'm able to be a lot more patient, I'm not so bent over, so when a shot comes I'm not automatically dropping to my knees.
"You want the middle of your stick to be on the puck and whenever you move to a different position you want your stick to lead, followed by your eyes. That's why the stick is so huge out there."
Howard characterized his first two seasons in Grand Rapids as "OK." That's not going to be good enough anymore. His personal goal is to make the AHL All-Star team, and he wants to lead the Griffins deeper into the playoffs than last season, when they lost in the first round.
"It's about time I stepped up and proved that I am capable of playing night in and night out and being an NHL goaltender," Howard said.
by Ansar KhanMonday September 24, 2007, 8:14 AM
DETROIT -- The high hopes the Detroit Red Wings had for Jimmy Howard were deflated a bit after an inconsistent 2006-07 season in Grand Rapids. Now, that faith has been restored after a summer of hard work showed the Red Wings that Howard is indeed on track to be their goaltender of the future.
A lighter, quicker, better-conditioned Howard excelled in training camp and has been sharp in the preseason.
"He made a commitment to fitness and now it's starting to pay off for him," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "He's happy to see you because he's proud, he's not hiding. Anytime you work as hard as he did in the off-season you've earned the right to feel good about yourself. The guys are proud of you and you should feel proud of yourself."
No matter how well Howard plays the last week of the preseason, he will not unseat Chris Osgood as the Red Wings' backup. Howard will start the year with the Griffins and will be recalled only if Dominik Hasek or Osgood is injured. With Hasek likely to retire after the season and Osgood also in the final year of his contract, the Red Wings expect Howard to secure the starting job next season.
"Expectations should be high, being a second-round pick (64th overall in 2003)," Howard said. "They stuck with me for two years and I'm very appreciative of it and I want to show them I'm capable of being their goalie of the future."
Howard, 23, skipped his final collegiate season at Maine to sign with the Red Wings in 2005. After a good first year as a pro, when he went 27-6-2 with a 2.58 goals-against average in Grand Rapids, Howard wasn't as sharp last season (21-21-3, 2.70 GAA), when he played on a weaker team and battled a midseason ankle injury.
He dropped about 20 pounds by improving his diet and training habits in the off-season. It's enabled him to play with higher intensity for a longer period of time.
"I really paid attention to my body," Howard said. "Just watching the carbs. I have that type of body where if I eat carbohydrates, I'm done. I'm eating my big meal in the afternoon and snacking throughout the day, snacking on the right foods. Just cut out the sugars and everything like that."
A seemingly minor change in goalie sticks, on the advice of Red Wings goaltending coach Jim Bedard, has also made a huge difference.
"I didn't even realize I'd been playing about five years with a paddle that was too short for me and a blade that wasn't as long as I could use," the 6-foot-1 Howard said. "So we lengthened the blade and the paddle to get me more upright. I'm able to be a lot more patient, I'm not so bent over, so when a shot comes I'm not automatically dropping to my knees.
"You want the middle of your stick to be on the puck and whenever you move to a different position you want your stick to lead, followed by your eyes. That's why the stick is so huge out there."
Howard characterized his first two seasons in Grand Rapids as "OK." That's not going to be good enough anymore. His personal goal is to make the AHL All-Star team, and he wants to lead the Griffins deeper into the playoffs than last season, when they lost in the first round.
"It's about time I stepped up and proved that I am capable of playing night in and night out and being an NHL goaltender," Howard said.