What’s Next For Josh Harding?

Josh Harding was put on waivers today by the Minnesota Wild for the purpose of sending him down to the AHL. But that is only part of a complex story that now awaits its next chapter in the NHL.

Harding was suspended earlier this season after an off-ice altercation with a teammate lead to the former Wild starter to kick a wall and break his foot. And his battle with multiple sclerosis has been well documented, including missing most of last season after an adjustment in his medication was required.

But when Harding was right last season he was off to a Vezina caliber start. In 29 games Harding surged to an 18-7-3 record, 1.65 GAA and .933 save percentage, easily the best season of his career. But his absence allowed for Darcy Kuemper to emerge and prove his NHL abilities and now he, along with Niklas Backstrom, will patrol the blue for the Wild.

“Harding hasn’t played since Dec. 31 (multiple sclerosis last season, then broken foot sustained in an off-ice incident days before training camp), so assistant GM Brent Flahr said a conditioning stint didn’t make sense because Harding is going to need a lot of time to practice and play — more than the maximum on a stint.Keeping three goalies on a 23-man roster wasn’t an option, Flahr said.”(Puck Daddy)

I honestly believe that the other NHL GM’s would be more concerned about the altercation with a teammate than the MS diagnosis. Harding has proven he can play through the disease as evidenced by his start last season and prior results. But being an issue in the locker room is something that teams looking to improve would be very cautious of. But there is a long time between now and the trade deadline for the pending UFA. If he can re-establish his game in the AHL and recapture the form he had at the beginning of last season, the 2013 Masterson Trophy winner could find himself back in the NHL on a new team.

Here are a couple of potential landing spots:

1) New Jersey Devils – Cory Schneider could use a break. Having started 18 of 20 games it’s pretty clear how Scott Clemmensen, he of the 6.49 GAA, is viewed. And the Devils are traditionally viewed as having a solid culture. Acquiring Harding for a playoff run to back up Schneider would certainly bolster the position and lead to a fresher Schneider when it matters most.

2) San Jose Sharks – For a team that talked a big change, they really didn’t back it up and the heat is turning up in the Shark Tank. San Jose is a veteran team that can figure it out, but beyond this year they have an interesting dilemma in goal. Antti Niemi is a UFA after this season and Alex Stalock is viewed as the goalie of the future. Toss in Troy Grosenick and the debut dreams are made of, and the Sharks seem quite deep in goal. Grosenick coming up and sitting behind Stalock doesn’t make a lot of sense. Does Harding backing up Stalock? Could Niemi be moved at the deadline to a team looking for a keeper? Remember the Sharks if goalies start getting moved at the deadline – this scenario is how it could start.

3) Columbus Blue Jackets – What about “Bob”? Sergei Bobrovsky means quite a bit to the success of the Jackets, whom have lost his services as well as 3/4 of the team at some point this season. If the Jackets can make a push toward a wild card spot as the season goes on – and make no mistake, the talent is there – there is going to need to be a quality back up to spell him from time to time. Would Harding be an upgrade over Curtis McElhinney and his 1-5-1 and .841 save percentage? Absolutely.

In any of these cases, Harding wouldn’t need to carry the load but could still have an opportunity to prove his starting mettle. Something Harding will be playing for in his next potential contract.