Josh Harding’s hockey career appears to be over.
According to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, the Minnesota Wild goalie is expected to retire.
“I wouldn’t want to speak for him, but he has bigger issues than just hockey,” Wild GM Check Fletcher said at the team’s season-ending media availability.
The 30-year-old netminder was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November of 2012, and missed all but five games in the 2012-13 season before replacing goaltender Niklas Backstrom in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The following June, he was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
“I found out about the diagnosis, and obviously it hit me hard,” Harding told reporters after winning the award. “But right away I knew I had to do something to kind of get back at it and find out what would work for me. During the year I had that tough stretch. But I don’t think it ever crossed my mind that I was going to give up or anything like that.”
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In the 2013-14 season, Harding had the best start of his NHL career — .933 save percentage and 1.65 goals-against average in 29 games — before a change in medication led to complications that ended his season.
Harding was suspended by the Wild at the start of the 2014-15 season after reportedly kicking a wall and breaking his foot during an altercation with a teammate. He only played in two games for Iowa, Minnesota’s AHL affiliate, this season.
The Regina, Sask., native last appeared in an NHL game on Dec. 31, 2013, a 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Harding was selected by Minnesota in the second round of the 2002 NHL Draft (38th overall) and spent his entire career with the Wild, appearing in 151 NHL regular season games. He registered a 60-59-11 career record with a 2.45 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and 10 shutouts.
