Josh Harding waived; hopefully he gets another shot?
Josh Harding is far from a sure thing and was deemed expendable by the Minnesota Wild. His situation is far from uncomplicated. Still, there are reasons to think - and hope - that the 30-year-old will play again.
Minnesota waived Harding on Monday, the same day he was activated from I.R.; he hasn't played in a regular-season game because he broke his foot kicking a wall in training camp.
The foot is a relatively small problem, though; complications due to multiple sclerosis ruined what started as a breakout 2013-14 season for Harding. He put up a .933 save percentage in 29 games before issues stemming from his medicaton sent him off course. His diagnosis came in 2012, and he'd certainly deserved the Masterton Trophy he won in 2013.
Now, Minnesota has opted for Darcy Kuemper (.914 save percentage in 14 games) and Niklas Backstrom (.890 in five) over Harding. Kuemper, particularly, makes sense; he's 24 and has played well enough to deserve a longer look. It'd be nice to have a .933-caliber goalie around, but Harding's health issues - and lack of such a track record before last season - make a tough decision understandable.
He'll also need time in the AHL to play himself back into shape - more than the maximum on a conditioning stint that would enable the Wild to keep him off their roster, as Michael Russo noted.
That said, Harding can still help someone, either as a one-season, $1.9 million-pickup or on a two-way deal after the fact. The Devils and Stars, among other teams, need a backup; Cory Schneider and Kari Lehtonen can't play every night. Here's hoping Harding gets a shot to spell them.
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