Minnesota Wild Top 25 Players 25-Years-Old or Younger: No. 24 Steve Michalek

Goaltender Steve Michalek made his professional debut last season. He played at two minor league levels and was very good in them. He even dressed as the Minnesota Wild’s backup multiple times. What does the future hold for the netminder?

Steve Michalek had a breakout season as a first year pro in 2015-16. He began in the ECHL and climbed up to the No. 1 netminder in Iowa, including a couple stints as the backup in the NHL due to a couple injuries.

The Hartford, Conn. native was considered a mediocre prospect and likely career minor leaguer before his senior season at Harvard University. He elevated his game and led the Crimson to an ECAC championship and NCAA tournament berth.

Without a professional contract in hand, Michalek and two other players applied for an extra year of eligibility due to a lost season. He left the team to play for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL during a year-long academic suspension following a cheating scandal that involved 125 students and a take-home final exam. The NCAA denied the waiver and he signed with the Wild just over two weeks later.

The scandal did not immediately come out and the school released a statement saying the players left for “personal reasons.” However, during the season, a teammate revealed the reason for his and the three other players’ absence. Michalek was not bitter, but felt more relieved.

“I know there was a lot of speculation when I left,” he said to the Cedar Rapids Gazette in December of 2013. “I wasn’t playing this year. But I didn’t really want to have the reputation of leaving my team. It’s fine now. I’d almost rather have it this way. It kind of looks bad, but I didn’t want to be known as a quitter. I also didn’t want it to look like I messed up and everything.”