But, what if, the Red Wings slip out of playoff contention, and Howard continues to play at the level he’s been playing at? There are contenders, or near contenders — Pittsburgh, New York Islanders, Edmonton, Anaheim, Carolina, Calgary — that could use Howard as a starter or a Plan B, with their No. 1 option in question.
Tougher? No way. If the Red Wings aren’t a point or two back of the final wild card spot and Jimmy Howard is playing out of his mind, the decision is easy.