Howard is likely to earn a contract extension with the Red Wings this season, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

There's said to be mutual interest in granting Howard an extension. Detroit's top netminder was winless with a 3.57 GAA and an .893 save percentage over his first five games, but it's worth noting that the Original Six club was forced to start a number of rookie defensemen in the early going as a way to compensate for injuries. Now, as the owner of a 4-5-2 record, 2.93 GAA and .917 save mark through 11 games, the Wings figure to reward him for his unabashed loyalty to the club, even with the franchise in an unfamiliar rebuild. Howard is cashing out the balance of a six-year, $31.75 million deal, but he's expected to garner another multi-year deal. He'll turn 35 years old next March.