CALGARY, Alberta – The Detroit Red Wings are making good progress in their effort to sign goaltender Jimmy Howard to a long-term contract extension.

A source told MLive.com that the sides are inching closer to agreeing on a deal that would more than double Howard's current $2.25 million salary to the $5 million-a-year range. It is expected to be for at least six or seven years.

Getting their workhorse goaltender signed was the Red Wings' top priority. Playing behind a defense that lost Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart in the offseason and has been riddled by injuries, Howard arguably has been the club's most valuable player. He is 10-7-4, with a 2.46 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

Howard, who turns 29 on March 26, averaged 36 wins for three seasons after assuming the starting role in 2009-10, when he finished second in Calder Trophy balloting to Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers.

The club's top pick in the 2003 entry draft (64th overall in the second round), Howard has a career record of 120-61-23, with a 2.42 GAA and .917 save percentage.

Filppula, Brunner contract updates: The Red Wings also are trying to sign forwards Valtteri Filppula and Damien Brunner before the end of the regular season. Both can become unrestricted free agents on July 5.

The Red Wings are optimistic they can find common ground with Brunner, but they aren't anywhere close to signing Filppula, who is believed to seeking a contract worth more than $5 million a season.

The Red Wings have had numerous conversations with Brunner's agent. The problem is determining his market value with so little sample size. Brunner's base salary this year is $925,000, with the potential to earn $517,500 in bonuses (all prorated due to the lockout).

Brunner led the top Swiss league in scoring in 2011-12 and was doing the same this season when the NHL lockout ended. He scored 10 goals in his first 19 games with the Red Wings but has no goals in the past eight games.

Filppula returned to the lineup in Wednesday's 5-2 loss at Calgary after missing seven games with a sprained shoulder. His struggles (five goals, 11 points in 20 games) prompted coach Mike Babcock to criticize his play earlier this season.

Filppula is in the final season of a five-year deal that has a salary-cap hit of $3 million (his actual salary the past three seasons was $3.5 million).