Wings lock-up Ericsson, Howard for 3 years

Lisa Hickok, Detroit Red Wings

DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings Executive Vice President and general manager Ken Holland today announced the team has re-signed defenseman Jonathan Ericsson and goalie Jimmy Howard to three-year contract extensions. In keeping with club policy, additional terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Ericsson, drafted by Detroit in the ninth round (291st) of the 2002 draft, played in eight regular-season games with Detroit, tallying one goal and averaging 15:58 in ice-time. Ericsson posted 10 goals and 24 assists in 69 games during his second season with Red Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

Howard, Detroit’s first pick (64th overall) in 2003, posted a 2.18 goals-against average in four games with Detroit during the 2007-08 regular-season. In his third season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Howard finished with a 2.83 GAA in 54 games. He was named the Rbk X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender of the Month for December 2007, after posting the best numbers of his career for a single month, posting a 1.72 goals against average and a .939 save percentage.

Both Ericsson and Howard were named to the AHL All-Star team in January 2008 and traveled with the Wings during the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Source: Red Wings Official Website