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Minnesota Wild: Top 10 Goalies in Franchise History

By Cody Defoe

ST. PAUL, MN - DECEMBER 17: John Curry #33 of the Minnesota Wild warms up prior to the game against the Boston Bruins on December 17, 2014 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - DECEMBER 17: John Curry #33 of the Minnesota Wild warms up prior to the game against the Boston Bruins on December 17, 2014 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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SUNRISE, FL – OCTOBER 19: Goaltender Josh Harding #37 of the Minnesota Wild takes a moment to relax prior to the game against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on October 19, 2013 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defeated the Wild 2-1 in a shoot-out. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

#5 – Josh Harding (2005-2014)

If Khudobin was the goalie who couldn’t catch a break in the NHL with the Minnesota Wild, then Josh Harding is the goalie who couldn’t catch a break in life.

Harding started his NHL career with high expectations as a 2nd round draft pick in 2002. He won the WHL’s Top Goaltender and Most Outstanding Player Awards the following season. Despite his outstanding WHL Performance, he spent the next season in the WHL again.

Harding made the jump to the AHL during the 2004-05 NHL lockout season, and impressed with a 2.01 GAA, .930 Sv%, 4 shutouts, and 21 wins through 42 games. Even still, 2005-06 he was back in the AHL as he could not find a spot among Dwayne Roloson and Manny Fernandez on the depth chart.

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In March 2006, Harding finally got his opportunity when Roloson was traded. At the time, he was 27-8 in the AHL, with a .923 Sv% and appeared ready for the jump to the next level. He would go 2-1 including 1 shutout in 3 starts that season, and primed to take on the Wild’s top backup role in 06-07.

Fortune, however, did not favour Harding. In the 2006 offseason, the Minnesota Wild took a chance and signed a 28 year old Finnish goalie to a one year tryout contract ,who impressed in camp and took the 2nd goalie job from Harding.

Harding finally caught his break in January 2007, when a knee injury forced Fernandez to the sidelines and opened the door for Harding to take on a larger role. Harding excelled, yet again, with a 1.16 GAA and a .960 Sv% through 7 games, going 3-2-1 with another shutout.

Fernandez asked for a trade in the offseason, and Harding was poised to take on the Wild’s backup role again. Over the next 3 seasons, Harding had his worst years as a pro recording only 23 wins over 48 starts. It only got worse in 2010 when Harding tore his ACL and MCL in a preseason game and was forced to miss the entire season.

Where Harding earns his place as #5 on this list, is his career post-2012. In September 2012 Harding was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and his NHL career was considered deeply in jeopardy.

Harding put forward one of the most inspiring stories in the NHL, as he battled and fought through his degenerative disease to start all 5 NHL Playoff games that season for the Wild. Then, in 26 starts in 2013-14 while battling his disease, Harding was on pace for one of the best statistical seasons in NHL History.

Harding had 18 wins in 26 starts, a 1.66 GAA, a .933, and 3 shutouts between October to December. A change to his MS treatment resulted in health complications, that unfortunately led to the end of his career.

Through all of this, Harding is a picture of the heart and spirit of the Minnesota franchise. Refusing to let anyone (or anything) hold him back, he fought through all the adversity and ended up leaving his mark as one of the best goalies to ever play for the franchise. He now continues to give back to the Minnesota fans, as a high school goalie coach in Edina, MN.

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