In the year 2002 during the NHL draft, during the second round a goaltender named Josh Harding was selected by the NHL team known as the Minnesota Wild. He then began his national playing career in 2004 for the Wild’s American Hockey League affiliate the Houston Aero’s, and has been playing for them to now. Eight years later he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, it was kept secret for a month. In his first game back after post-diagnosis he stopped all 24 of the Dallas Stars shots in a 1-0 victory. That same year he was nominated for the Bill Masterdon Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the best National Hockey League player who shows these traits and qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and a dedication to hockey. It is often awarded to those who has come back from career or life threatening illness or injury. Josh Harding won the trophy that year and has been nominated again this year.

In 2003 Josh Harding played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League, for the Regina Pats, the Brandon Wheat Kings, and for Canada in the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships winning a silver medal. He got four Broncos Memorial Trophies as the WHL’s top goaltender and most outstanding player respectively. Then in 2004-05 his rookie season with the Aero’s he posted a record of 21-16-3 with a 2.01 Goals Against Average. The next year he was called up to the Wild, but before while he was with the Aero’s was incredible, with a record of 28 wins 8 losses 0 ties and a save percentage of .923%. Then while being called up for 3 games with a record of 2 wins 1 loss, and a 2.59 Goals Against Average.

Then coming into the next year with the Aero’s he had a record 17-15-4, then getting again called up again by the Wild, he got his third shutout victory against the Oiler’s winning 5-0 on March 1st, 2007. Then in his first game in October of 2007-08 sesason another shutout against the Anaheim Ducks, winning two goals to zero. He played even less than usual in the 2008-09 season and even less in the 2009-10 season. Both were not the best records , but in a preseason game in 2010-11 against the St. Louis Blues he tore his knee and did not play the rest of the season. But the Wild did resign him to a one year contract on July 1st 2011. Then it became the year 2012 and this is when Josh Harding was diagnosed.

During the 2012-13 season Josh Harding again resigned with the Wild on June 19th, 2012 for a three year 5.7 million dollar contract extension. But of course during September Josh Harding was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a disease that affects co-ordination, vision that can be blurry, and balance. Not a type of disease that most or any one wants, but in the 2012 playoffs the Wild lost their main goaltender Niklas Backstrom to an injury before game one, and the Wild was facing the Presidents Trophy winner the Chicago Blackhawks. Josh Harding had to play, he of course stopped 35 shots as the Wild lost 2-1 in Overtime, after the game the Wild and Blackhawks praised him for his efforts. The Wild went on to lose the series 4-1, but this season he only played played for 29 games only his best season yet with 18 wins and 7 losses and his record for Goal Against Average is 1st in the league with a low 1.65 and he also has the 1st place record this year in his save percentage with a high . 933 save percentage. But the NHL did call him a star of the month for November for going 8-2-2 with a 1.88 GAA.

This is how Josh Harding and his disease effects my life. Well my father has a girlfriend whom of which has four children, three of which are males and she has one girl. During the past year she is going back to school, and working 2 jobs. During 2013 I slightly remember one day in the fall that my dad told me that she has MS. It wasn’t a big deal to me at the time, until the day that I remembered that my favorite hockey team had a player with the same disease. I do hope that someday they fight against it.

Thanks to Josh Harding efforts I hope that people can fight MS like he and my fathers girlfriend has. I hope though that this star player will help the Wild in their playoff run, and I hope he can fight his MS. For this NHL star who was drafted by the wild in 2002, whom battles MS, and gains praise from not only his team but his opponent in a game. He is truly an excellent player and goalie, I believe he deserves the Masterdon Trophy one more time.