Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding made 78 saves in the first two games of the NHL Playoffs. Aaron Powers says what’s most remarkable about that is the unpredictability of the disease Harding plays with.
The 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs began this past Tuesday. During warm-ups at the United Center in Chicago, Minnesota Wild backup goalie Josh Harding sat on the bench, watching his teammates prepare for the opening game of their series against the Blackhawks. Harding, who has been with the Wild since being taken in the 2nd round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, had no plans to start or even play. But then, plans have a way of changing.
In an instant, Harding was out there, finishing warmups. Starter Nicklas Backstrom was being helped off the ice due to an undisclosed lower body injury. Harding, taking it all in stride, gave his team a chance to win, stopping 35 shots before Bryan Bickell won it for the ‘Hawks 17 minutes into OT.
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Harding’s life also switched plans on him last year. While working out in the early fall, he noticed pain in his back and was having problems with his vision. After a visit to the doctor, Harding learned he had multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that involves an immune system attack against the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves). The disease is thought to be triggered in a genetically-susceptible individual by a combination of one or more environmental factors. (description courtesy of The National MS Society)
MS affects close to 2 million people around the world. With a close family member having battled the disease for nearly 20 years, I have seen the challenges that come with living with the disease. Tasks such as dressing, walking, and driving can become seemingly insurmountable. Strapping on goalie pads and skating for 60+ minutes would pose an intimidating test indeed.
Harding has faced this new challenge with strength and determination. In a November 2012 interview with the Minneapolis StarTribune, he was noted as saying, “I don’t look at this like I’ve got to take a new path…This is a little bump in the road. I’ve had lots in life.”
Harding took two months off to make sure his medication was correct and that he was properly caring for himself. After a stint in the AHL, he was recalled on April 22nd, but looked shaky in his first game back, giving up 3 goals on the first 4 shots against the Oilers.
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MS, an adult-onset condition, can run the gamut from mild to severe. The inability to know when a flare-up of stinging nerves or numbness will occur makes life unpredictable for a person with MS. Medication and therapy can reduce these issues, but the progression of the disease is different for every diagnosis.
That unpredictability is exactly what makes Harding’s performance in Game 1 against Chicago so remarkable. At the age of 28, seven years younger than starter Backstrom, Harding would be considered “in his prime” for a goaltender. But only he knows how he feels when he’s standing between the pipes and forced to make sliding saves and split-second decisions. He never hesitated when Backstrom went down and captain Mikko Koivu shouted, “Hards, get in there.”
Harding will have the benefit of knowing he’ll start in these 2013 playoffs, at least until Backstrom recovers. Being able to mentally and physically prepare can have a great effect on a goalie’s game. But as Harding showed last Tuesday against Chicago, and in his battle with MS, he can handle the challenges brought about by unpredictability.
(Editor’s note: The Wild dropped Game 2 of their series with the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday 5-2. Despite the loss, Josh Harding made 43 saves.)
Photo: AP
MS is not a disease. Should you take the time, you’ll discover that MS is a neurological disorder. When a person misinforms this way they are doing a great disservice. The general public tends to believe you will catch a disease. I know. I have Epilepsy and my sister has MS. My Email does not work due to my cognitive memory, please message me on facebook if you wish. I’ll go back and read the rest of your story which is probably very interesting. Thanks!
Siobhan,
Thank you for your comment. My definition of MS came from the National MS Society’s website, which states, “Multiple sclerosis is considered to be an immune-mediated disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the central nervous system.” As I said in the article, I have a close family member who has been living with MS for nearly 20 years, and have always heard it defined as a disease.