Jimmy Howard said he hopes to continue his NHL career after struggling with the Detroit Red Wings this season.
"I want to keep playing," the 36-year-old goalie, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, told The Detroit News on Friday. "This year left such a bitter taste in my mouth. I want to go out there and show people I can still play in this league. I know I'm capable."
Howard was 2-23-2 with a 4.20 goals-against average and an .882 save percentage in 27 starts this season, the highest GAA and lowest save percentage of his 14-season NHL career. The two wins are the fewest for a goalie who played at least 25 games since the NHL implemented the shootout in 2005-06.
Howard did not win a game after Oct. 29 and was 0-18-2 in his final 20 starts before the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. It is the second longest streak without a win since the shootout was implemented; Cory Schneider did not win 21 straight games (0-17-4) for the New Jersey Devils from Dec. 29, 2017 to Feb. 14, 2019.
"I personally don't believe I represent those [statistics], but I was a big part of the program," Howard said. "I love this state, this city, and this city is home to us now. I would want to finish my career a Red Wing."
Detroit, which ranked last in goals per game (2.00) and goals-against per game (3.73), had the worst record (17-49-5) and points percentage (.275) in the NHL and will miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fourth straight season after qualifying for 25 straight seasons. The Red Wings were not among the 24 teams to make the Qualifying Round or Seeding Round Robin when the NHL announced its Return to Play Plan on May 26.
Howard signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings prior to the season and became the backup to Jonathan Bernier, who started 46 games (15-22-3, 2.95 GAA, .907 save percentage). Howard, who was the sixth goalie in NHL history to play at least 25 games and win two or fewer, said he knows his time in Detroit could be coming to an end.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Honestly, there's so much up in the air," he said. "But at the same time, I've been around this game long enough to realize there comes a time when you have to separate ties. If that's the way it'll have to go, I've mentally prepared for that. My wife and I have talked about it a little bit, and if that's going to be the case, it'll have to be the case."
Selected by Detroit in the second round (No. 64) of the 2003 NHL Draft, Howard is 246-196-70 with a 2.62 GAA, .912 save percentage and 24 shutouts in 543 games (523 starts) and won at least 35 games three times. He is third in Detroit' history in wins and is 21-26 with a 2.58 GAA, .918 save percentage and three shutouts in 48 playoff games (47 starts).
"I don't think this extra time off is necessarily a bad thing for me," Howard said. "I can recharge and refocus and go into next year with the confidence of being able to play. … If I could continue to play for another year or two, I'd be very content to walk away."
