Josh Harding Clears Waivers, Will Head To Iowa

Wild goaltender Josh Harding has cleared waivers and will be assigned to the Iowa Wild.

Michael Russo had speculated early yesterday that teams might be reluctant to pick him up, despite his obvious talent, because they might not be prepared as an organization to help Harding manage his MS and playing.

Russo rolled back on that a bit later in the day and joined many who speculated that teams like the Oilers or Devils may claim Harding anyhow. Again, Harding, when healthy, has been an outstanding goaltender recently. He was statistically the best goaltender in the NHL through the first three months of last season.

However, recently hasn’t been all that recent since he hasn’t played a game in 11 months, initially due to complications with MS in December then due to a broken foot suffered just before the start of the season. That time away was likely part of the decision to place him on waivers instead of putting him in Iowa on a conditioning stint to start. The team said publicly that they believe Harding will need more than the two weeks allowed on a conditioning stint.

If the team sent him down for conditioning and decided he needed more time, he’d have to be placed on waivers after two weeks, at which time teams would have gotten a look at him and might be more apt to grab him. As it stands the Wild placed him on waivers when teams haven’t seen him in a game since December 2013.

There’s also the fact that Harding may not be a long-term solution for a team like Edmonton as he’s in a contract year and they have committed to a goaltender already. Also, his recent success is really just that, recent. Despite eight pro seasons with the Wild, the first three months of last season were the only time when he was really the team’s number one netminder, posting career best marks in save percentage and goals against average.

Harding has said, via his agent, that he plans on reporting to Iowa.

Harding should join Iowa shortly and will be much needed relief to a team that appears to be on the upswing following a coaching change. Harding will join Johan Gustafsson as the goaltending tandem there, as John Curry is day-to-day with a lower body injury.