Minnesota Wild: Top 10 Goalies in Franchise History
By Cody Defoe
#4 – Manny Fernandez (2000-2007)
Before his NHL career even started, Manny Fernandez was faced with numerous challenges on his way to being an NHL starting goalie. Drafted in 1992 by the Quebec Nourdiques (now the Colorado Avalanche), Fernandez was traded to the Dallas Stars in 1994 before he ever made the move out of the CHL.
Fernandez was a member of the 1998-99 Dallas Stars roster that won the Stanley Cup, but as the 3rd goalie he did not play in enough games to warrant his name being etched on the championship. In 1999-00 Dallas went back and lost in the Stanley Cup Final with Fernandez as the primary backup to Ed Belfour.
Following the consecutive runs to the Cup Finals, Fernandez found himself on the move again as he became one of the first official members of the Expansion Minnesota Wild. Traded in June 2000, Fernandez was immediately viewed as a competitor for the starting position.
Fernandez would compete primarily with Jamie McLennan to start the year, and despite McLennan earning the first NHL Start and (eventually) first NHL win for the new franchise it was Fernandez who secured himself as the uncontested #1 by the end of the year.
With the arrival of Dwayne Roloson, Manny would continue to find himself in a platoon goalie system for the entirety of his career in Minnesota, but that never slowed him down. He was always a reliable piece on the backend for the Wild.
His career highlight is easily the 2002-03 NHL Playoff run, where he started the playoffs as Roloson’s backup. When the team fell to a 3-1 series deficit to start the first round, it was Fernandez who saved the year and rattled off 3 consecutive wins (including 2 in OT) to get the Wild through to the second round.
Manny Fernandez was also rewarded for his accomplishments behind the stifling Minnesota defense of coach Jacques Lemaire (who happens to be his uncle). In 2006-07, Fernandez was half of the top defensive team in the NHL and was co-awarded the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed by a team over an NHL Season.
In between those accomplishments, Fernandez became a picture of stability on the backend, and in 05-06 he became the first Wild goalie in history to record a 30-win season.
After leaving the Wild, he won a second Jennings trophy as a member of the Boston Bruins before quietly retiring from active play. His Wild career spanned 7 years, and finished with 113 wins over 260 games, and 12 shutouts. As a member of 2 teams to make deep playoff runs, a 2 time Jennings winner, and the first Wild Goalie with a winning record, Manny earned his spot in the Top 5.