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Josh Harding
Joshharding
Born June 18, 1984 (1984-06-18) (age 39)
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight 197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Right
NHL team Minnesota Wild
National team Flag of Canada Canada
NHL Draft 38th overall, 2002
Minnesota Wild
Playing career 2004–present

Josh Harding (born Joshua Joel Harding June 18, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender playing for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career[]

Josh played three seasons of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Regina Pats and Brandon Wheat Kings. He won the Del Wilson and Four Broncos Memorial Trophies in 2003 as the WHL's top goaltender and most outstanding player respectively.

Josh represented Canada at the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, winning a silver medal. He was selected in the second round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft (38th overall) by the Wild. He began his professional career with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League, the Wild's development team. In the 2004–2005 season, his rookie season with the Aeros, he posted a 21–16–3 record with a 2.01 goals against average.

Josh was called up to the Wild on March 8, 2006, after goalie Dwayne Roloson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. Before being called up, he had a 27–8–0 record with a .923% save percentage (second best in the AHL) in the Aeros' 2005–2006 season. He finished the season with a 29–8–0 record for the Aeros. Josh appeared in three games with the Wild in 2005–06, going 2–1–0 with a 2.59 goals against average.

Josh began the 2006–07 season with the Aeros as well, compiling a 17–15–4 record before being recalled by the Wild on January 24, 2007. Harding recorded a 30-save, 5–0 shutout against the Oilers on March 1, 2007; the third shutout of his career.

On October 14, 2007, Josh stopped 37 shots in his first game of the season shutting out the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 2–0. He compiled a record of 11-15 in the 2007-08 NHL season, with a goals against average of 2.94. He played less during the 2008-09 NHL season, recording only 3 wins to go with 11 losses, but with a better 2.21 goals against average.

On September 24, 2010, Josh tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee in a preseason game in St. Louis and missed the entire 2010–11 NHL season. Despite this, he was once again re-signed by the Wild on July 1, 2011.

On June 19, 2012, Josh re-signed with the Minnesota Wild with a three-year, $5.7 million dollar contract extension. On November 28, 2012, it was reported that Josh had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He kept the ailment (which can cause blurred vision and affect balance and coordination) a secret for over a month after doctors discovered the disease in late September of 2012.

In his first game back post-diagnosis, Josh stopped all 24 shots he faced in a 1-0 shutout win over the Dallas Stars. During the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Presidents' Trophy winning Chicago Blackhawks as the 8th seed, Niklas Bäckström injured himself during warm ups before Game 1.

Josh would replace him in a 2-1 overtime loss stopping 35 shots, which brought praise not only from his teammates but also from players on the Blackhawks for his incredible play despite still being affected by multiple sclerosis.

However, the Minnesota Wild would lose the series 4-1, but Josh would win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in recognition of his efforts.

Career statistics[]

Regular season[]

Season Team League GP W L T OTL MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2001–02 Regina Pats WHL 42 27 13 1 2389 95 4 2.39 .906
2002–03 Regina Pats WHL 57 18 24 13 3385 155 3 2.75 .914
2003–04 Regina Pats WHL 28 12 14 2 1665 67 2 2.41 .927
2003–04 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 27 13 11 3 1612 65 5 2.42 .920
2004–05 Houston Aeros AHL 42 21 16 3 2387 80 4 2.01 .930
2005–06 Houston Aeros AHL 38 29 8 0 2215 99 2 2.68 .919
2005–06 Minnesota Wild NHL 3 2 1 0 185 8 1 2.59 .904
2006–07 Houston Aeros AHL 38 17 16 4 2270 94 1 2.48 .920
2006–07 Minnesota Wild NHL 7 3 2 1 361 7 1 1.16 .960
2007–08 Minnesota Wild NHL 29 11 15 2 1571 77 1 2.94 .908
2008–09 Minnesota Wild NHL 19 3 9 1 870 32 0 2.21 .929
2009–10 Minnesota Wild NHL 25 9 12 0 1300 66 1 3.05 .900
2010–11 Minnesota Wild NHL DNP-injured
2011–12 Minnesota Wild NHL 34 13 12 4 1855 81 2 2.62 .917
2012–13 Minnesota Wild NHL 5 1 1 0 185 10 1 3.24 .863
NHL totals 122 42 52 8 6326 281 7 2.67 .915

Playoffs[]

   
Season Team League GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2001–02 Regina Pats WHL 6 2 4 325 16 0 2.95 .890
2002–03 Regina Pats WHL 5 1 4 321 13 0 2.43 .939
2003–04 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 11 5 6 660 36 0 3.27 .897
2004–05 Houston Aeros AHL 2 0 2 119 8 0 4.03 .893
2005–06 Houston Aeros AHL 8 4 4 476 30 0 3.79 .886
2007–08 Minnesota Wild NHL 1 0 0 20 0 0 0.00 1.000
2012–13 Minnesota Wild NHL 5 1 4 245 12 0 2.94 .911
NHL totals 6 1 4 265 12 0 2.72 .918

 Awards & Achievements[]

  • 2002–03 WHL Player of the Month (December)
  • 2002–03 WHL Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player of the Year)
  • 2002–03 WHL Del Wilson Trophy (Goaltender of the Year)
  • 2005–06 AHL All-Star Game (did not play due to injury)
  • 2012-13 NHL Bill Masterton Trophy

Records[]

  • Houston Aeros' franchise record for saves in a single game (56)

International play[]

Played for Canada in:

  • 2004 World Junior Championships (silver medal)
  • 2009 World Ice Hockey Championships (silver medal)
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