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Jimmy Howard is happy to stay with the Detroit Red Wings. Filmed March 19, 2019 in Detroit.
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

ST. LOUIS – S & # 39; he helps the Detroit The Red Wings return in series next season. Jimmy Howard also has a bonus.

The Wings signed Wednesday a one – year extension with Howard for a base salary of $ 4 million and $ 1.1 million in playoff bonuses. The free press reported on Tuesday that the deal was imminent.

The bonus is ranked according to the appearance of the series and the number of games played by Howard (35, 40, 45, 50 and 55). There is also a bonus if the Wings win their first round playoff round, and another one they win a run of the second round.

"I hope we pay every penny," Ken Holland, managing director, told Free Press.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard makes his backup in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York. (Photo: Mary Altaffer, AP)

The signing has kept the goalkeeper up until next season, while there are two more left to Jonathan Bernier. It was an expected move because the Wings have no perspective in the farming system. Howard has expressed his desire to stay with the only NHL team he has known and hopes to help them return to the playoffs.

"We want to play in April," Howard said after Wednesday's training at the Enterprise Center. "It's great that it has been added, but I'm just happy to be here."

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Howard, who turns 35 on March 26, has just won his 19th game of the season on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, making 41 saves to defeat the Rangers 3-2. Howard played better than his percentage of. 908 and his 3.05 average in 48 games, doing everything possible to give the Wings the chance to win the most starts. Since being "reinvented", as Howard has said, with the help of goaltending coach Jeff Salajko over the past three seasons, Howard is one of the most trusted players on the team.

"He gave us a good consistent performance," said coach Jeff Blashill. "I am real, really happy for him. This is an excellent example for many other people in the room who go to work: when the situation deteriorated, he did not say: woe to me, he did not complain. He looked in the mirror and said that I needed to be better. He has improved and he has been really, really good in recent years.

"When you look at the market of goalkeepers, he offers us guards as good and consistent as those who are potentially available and I think it's great that he's re-signed."

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Contact Helene St. James at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Learn more about the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.