from Jared Clinton of The Hockey News,
As he enters the final season of a six-year contract with the Red Wings, it can safely be said that the writing is on the wall for veteran netminder Jimmy Howard. Long considered as a trade chip for Detroit, albeit one that they’ve been unable to move, the Red Wings went out and brought in some insurance for the oft-injured keeper this summer when they inked Bernier to a three-year, $9-million pact. And while Bernier might not seem a sizeable upgrade over the incumbent Red Wings netminder, the numbers suggest differently.