Minnesota Wild: Backup Goaltender Options – Part Three

The Minnesota Wild goaltender ranks are rich compared to a lot of other teams. Not only do they have a clear-cut first choice but there are options as backup.

Obviously Devan Dubnyk, barring a training camp injury, will start the year as the number one between the pipes for the Minnesota Wild.

Beyond him, Alex Stalock looks to be the guaranteed second choice, with Andrew Hammond an experienced option in the American Hockey League.

Further down the ranks are Kaapo Kahkonen and Dereck Baribeau. Neither should realistically be expecting to start the year in the NHL, but stranger things have happened.

You only need look at the Vegas Golden Knights and their carousel of goalies last year. Or the crazy circumstances that saw accountant Scott Foster thrust into the spotlight for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Should such scenarios occur, or if Stalock and Hammond plainly struggle to do the job as backup, these are the internal options:

Kaapo Kahkonen

Kahkonen offers a lot, despite starting the year as the expected fourth string option in the net.

"Kahkonen has been a solid .920 goaltender in a good men’s league for two years and should slot in nicely on Iowa next season. He’s a tall, athletic goalie who will need some time to adjust to the smaller ice but his upside is there. With Minnesota’s weak goalie pipeline, Kahkonen will be given every opportunity over the next two seasons to leave a mark on Minnesota’s new management. (Will Scouch – Dobber Prospects)"

Based on his results in the Finnish Liiga as an alumnus of a team that gave Arizona Coyotes’ goalie, Antti Raanta his start professional start, Kahkonen looks to be the real deal.

He has managed to deliver stronger performances than a now NHL regular, albeit seven seasons apart. He proved unphased by the extra workload, seeing twenty-two more games than the previous year and delivering an improved save percentage and goals-against-average.

More from Analysis

• Here we go. Minnesota Wild head into pivotal Game 5 matchup
• Yeah, Game 2 was ugly. How will the Minnesota Wild respond at home?
• Fleury injury just the latest hurdle for the struggling Minnesota Wild so far
• Minnesota Wild to get a test with challenging homestand
• Minnesota Wild: Filip Gustavsson gets his time to shine in net

It certainly looks bright, given the two other backup options, whilst not yet old and haggard, are now the wrong side of thirty. Kaapo provides a young alternative for the Minnesota Wild, but he probably needs at least a year of seasoning with the Iowa Wild before being ready for the big-time.

In a pinch, he certainly seems to be an option that could be relied upon. Facing professionals wouldn’t be too scary of a proposition for him. Adapting to North American ice might take some time, but that isn’t as big of an issue for goalies, I reckon.

Dereck Baribeau

Baribeau has the height, offering a towering 6’6” presence in the net, despite only being 19. Despite that size though, it’s unlikely we’ll see him making the jump from junior yet.

Another year of seasoning in the QMJHL would be the safe bet; with Baribeau showing improvement year-on-year in the league.

With the Quebec Remparts, he will no doubt be looking to better last year’s 0.896 save percentage and 2.90 goals-against-average.

It’d take a lot of drama with the Minnesota Wild before Dereck is thrust into the spotlight, so in the meantime, we can take a lot of comfort in the fact he’s working on his game at a suitable level and isn’t having to fight for the backup spot in the AHL. Realistically, that’s the log-jam he’d find in front of him.

All in all, the young options suggest that the future is on an upward trajectory. The AHL pairing of a veteran and youngster will hopefully prove invaluable.

Safe to say, it’s unlikely either guy is wearing a Minnesota Wild uniform this year, except at training camp. In all honesty, they’d likely be surpassed by a trade or free agency option if there were significant injuries.

We’ll investigate those very free agent options when we have our final look at the Minnesota Wild’s backup goaltending options in Part Four.