Detroit Pink Wings normal supervisor Steve Yzerman made official what appeared possible for a lot of the second half of the 2019-20 season: The staff received’t be re-signing goalie Jimmy Howard, an unrestricted free agent, after Howard received simply two video games in 27 tries, with a .882 save proportion and 4.20 goals-against common.

The 36-year-old, who was drafted within the second spherical by the Wings (No. 64 general) in 2003, leaves Detroit third in video games performed by a goalie for the franchise (543) and first in pictures confronted (15,313) and saves (13,970). His departure leaves Jonathan Bernier, enjoying within the closing 12 months of a three-year contract, the Wings’ ostensible No. 1 goalie.

Yzerman speaks: Wings’ GM reveals his NHL draft technique

Yzerman and the Wings will likely be available in the market for one more netminder by way of free company, and what timing — the market seems flooded with skilled goalies. Right here’s a take a look at eight massive names they might be taking a look at in addition to 4 much less completed choices:

The Capitals goalie has particular person and staff bona fides — he received the Vezina Trophy in 2016 and was runner-up in 2017, adopted by a Stanley Cup victory in 2018. However he turned 31 in September and posted the worst numbers of his 10-season profession in 2019-20 with a .897 save proportion, 3.11 GAA and no shutouts. Nonetheless, he has made the previous 5 All-Star groups and had 25 wins in 47 begins in 2019-20; he might be in search of one final massive paycheck, coming off a five-year $30.5 million cope with Washington.

G Anton Khudobin, Dallas Stars

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No free agent was helped extra by the NHL’s return to play than this 34-year-old Russian. Khudobin, a profession backup with the Wild, Bruins, Hurricanes, Geese and Stars, was pressed into responsibility within the Edmonton bubble in August when Dallas’ starter, Ben Bishop, went down with an harm. The goalie nicknamed “Dobby” (after the “Harry Potter” character) began 25 video games throughout the Stars’ run to the Stanley Cup Ultimate, with 14 wins, a .917 save proportion and a couple of.69 GAA. He’ll possible be in search of an enormous contract and a No. 1 job, however he has by no means began greater than 37 video games (2018-19 with the Stars) in an 11-season profession. His playoff run wasn’t completely a shock — he had a .930 proportion and a couple of.22 GAA in 30 regular-season video games in 2019-20 — however how a lot of that was because of the Stars’ defense-first method?

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G Robin Lehner, Vegas Golden Knights

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Lehner, who received the Masterton Trophy in 2019 for his combat towards habit and psychological well being struggles, could not make it to free company. The Golden Knights acquired him from Chicago on the commerce deadline to again face of the franchise Marc-Andre Fleury, then rode Lehner’s scorching hand down the stretch to earn the No. 1 seed and make the Western Convention finals. In 19 regular-season and playoff video games with Las Vegas, Lehner went 12-7 with a .927 save proportion, 1.93 GAA and 5 shutouts. The efficiency could have the Knights trying to deal Fleury within the offseason — although he has reportedly informed the staff he’s keen to remain as a backup — and stick to the 28-year-old Lehner, who completed sixth in Vezina voting this 12 months after ending third in 2019 with the Islanders.

Story continues

New York Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss (1) poke checks Detroit Pink Wings’ Robby Fabbri (14) throughout the third interval of an NHL hockey sport Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020, in Uniondale, N.Y. The Islanders received 8-2. (AP Picture/Frank Franklin II)

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Greiss took a step again this season, with a .913 save proportion and a couple of.74 GAA after posting a .927 proportion and a couple of.28 GAA in 2018-19. However the 34-year-old German is aware of easy methods to share time in internet; he began 39 video games for the Islanders in 2018-19 as he and Lehner completed with the league’s lowest GAA, then began 28 occasions in 2019-20 whereas splitting the job with Semyon Varlamov. Greiss, 34, has only one season as a No. 1 goalie, going 26-18-5 with a .913 save proportion and a couple of.69 GAA in 2016-17 over 51 video games with the Isles.

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Cam Talbot

Goaltender Cam Talbot #33 of the Edmonton Oilers makes a save on Frans Nielsen #51 of the Detroit Pink Wings at Rogers Place on November 5, 2017 in Edmonton, Canada.

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Talbot has but to stay as much as the promise he confirmed early in his profession with the Rangers. Edmonton dealt a package deal of picks to New York in 2015 hoping he was a franchise goalie however shipped him out of city in 2019. Throughout that span, Talbot had one good 12 months, ending fourth in Vezina voting in 2017. He signed a one-year cope with the Flames final offseason and it paid off, with a .919 save proportion and a couple of.63 GAA whereas splitting time with David Rittich in internet. Rittich made the Central Division All-Stars, however Talbot obtained the nod throughout the playoffs and carried the Flames into the second spherical earlier than a Recreation 6 wipeout as Calgary blew a 3-Zero lead in a 7-Three loss. At 33 years previous, Talbot is likely one of the youthful choices in the marketplace.

Henrik Lundqvist

New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist makes the save throughout the first interval of an NHL hockey sport towards the Detroit Pink Wings, Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York.

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The 38-year-old Swede was nicely off his 2012-13 Vezina-winning methods in 2019-20 with a .905 save proportion and three.16 GAA, making the Rangers’ determination to purchase him out comprehensible. However he was an All-Star as lately as 2019 and he has completed within the prime six in Vezina voting 10 occasions. If he’s open to taking a backup or job-sharing position, it might most likely be for a contender, which the Wings actually aren’t. Nonetheless, it’s value noting that he responds nicely to the sight of Pink Wings jerseys — Lundqvist has a .941 save proportion, 1.86 GAA and 5 shutouts (however solely 9 wins) in 20 profession video games towards the Wings.

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Jacob Markstrom

Detroit Pink Wings’ Michael Rasmussen tries to get a shot off on Vancouver Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom throughout the second interval at Little Caesars Area on Nov. 6, 2018 in Detroit.

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For his first six NFL seasons, Markstrom was a strong backup, with a 2.91 GAA and nil shutouts in 109 video games with the Panthers and Canucks. However he has stepped it up — a 2.74 GAA and 5 shutouts in 163 video games — since taking on the No. 1 spot in Vancouver in 2017, maybe not coincidentally overlapping with the Canucks’ streak of three straight top-two rookie of the 12 months finishes. Markstrom, 30, established his market along with his first 10 begins of the playoffs, through which he went 7-Three with a .929 save proportion and solely 25 objectives allowed because the Canucks eradicated the Wild and the defending champion Blues. The Swede’s 4 video games within the second spherical towards Vegas have been much less spectacular: 15 objectives allowed.

Corey Crawford

Detroit Pink Wings left wing Darren Helm (43) takes a shot towards Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford (50) throughout first interval motion Friday, March 6, 2020 at Little Caesars Area in Detroit, Mich.

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Crawford’s undoubtedly previous his 2012-17 peak, through which he had a .921 save proportion, 2.31 GAA and 16 shutouts in 259 video games with the Blackhawks earlier than a critical concussion price him 52 video games in 2018. Nonetheless, he was strong in Chicago final season as a 35-year-old splitting time with Lehner earlier than the commerce deadline. After Lehner’s departure, Crawford had eight regular-season begins, permitting 21 objectives with a .921 save proportion. He was much less efficient within the playoffs, giving up no less than 4 objectives in 5 of his 9 begins, however these got here towards the Oilers and Golden Knights, two of the league’s higher offenses.

The cut price bin

4 goalies that might be choices if Yzerman and the Wings see Bernier as a particular No. 1:

Craig Anderson: The 39-year-old reinvented his profession with a decade in Ottawa and says he nonetheless needs to play, however he hasn’t had a sub-Three GAA since 2016-17.

Aaron Dell: He’s solely 31, however when the Sharks gave him an opportunity to seize the No. 1 spot in San Jose in January, he didn’t play nicely sufficient to supplant Martin Jones, who has a $6 million cap hit.

Brian Elliott: The Wisconsin product (and Flyers backup for the previous three seasons) is simply 35 one way or the other, and hasn’t had a GAA above Three since 2010-11. That’s additionally the one 12 months he began greater than 50 video games.

Michael Hutchinson: The 31-year-old seemed terrible as a backup in Toronto — the place protection was usually elective — then received his first two playoff begins with the Avalanche (as their third goalie) towards the Stars earlier than a tricky Recreation 7 loss.

Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Comply with him on Twitter @theford.

This text initially appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pink Wings may take a look at these 12 free-agent goalies