Red Wings Goalie Jimmy Howard Calls It A Career

After fourteen season of being the man between the pipes for the Detroit Red Wings, goaltender Jimmy Howard made it official today, announcing his retirement.

Howard announced it this morning:

"Becoming an NHL goalie was a childhood dream and after an incredible 14 years within the Red Wings organization, I've decided to say farewell to playing professional hockey and move on to the next chapter," the 36-year-old Howard wrote. "It has been the honor of a lifetime to play and I'm forever thankful to the fans, everyone within the Red Wings organization, my teammates and my family for their ongoing support, loyalty and dedication. As I enter this new chapter in my life, I look forward to spending more time with my family, coaching my son's hockey team and new opportunities the future will hold." -Jimmy Howard via Detroit Red Wings' Twitter account.

Howard was a second round draft pick out of Maine in 2003, and played for the Grand Rapids Griffins before making his Red Wings debut in 2007-2008, playing four regular season games for the Stanley Cup champions. While his name is not etched on the Cup, he did earn a ring and is in the Stanley Cup team photo that year.

The following season, he was back in Grand Rapids, playing only one game in Detroit, but then took over as the starter in 2009-2010.

Howard finishes third on the Red Wings' all-time list with 246 wins. He was a three-time all-star and was on the 2014 U.S. Olympic team in Sochi.