StaTuesday: Former Wild goalie Backstrom's legacy in Minnesota
Niklas Backstrom's career with the Minnesota Wild appeared to be over long before the trade deadline on Monday.
His replacement arrived a few days after he made his final appearance with Minnesota back on Jan. 13, 2015.
The 38-year-old's Wild finale was anything but, and ended with Backstrom sliding hard to his left, before flinging his stick forward for a futile poke check, as defenseman Kris Letang capitalized on a blown defensive play to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 6-1 lead in the third period.
Just two days later general manager Chuck Fletcher finalized a deal that would bring struggling Arizona Coyotes goaltender Devan Dubnyk to Minnesota.
And while Fletcher saw enough promise in Dubnyk to spend a third-round pick on him, he couldn't have foreseen Dubnyk's meteoric resurgence coming.
However, Dubnyk's rise, coupled with Backstrom's contract, one more appropriate for a starting goaltender, did little to endear the aging Finn to Wild fans.
Now even his name is disappearing thanks to the success of Washington Capitals star Nicklas Backstrom.
But while Wild fans have soured on Backstrom over the years, his career in Minnesota won't be obscured quite as easily as his name.
Backstrom remains the franchise leader in wins, saves, shutouts and minutes played after spending parts of 10 seasons with Minnesota, and was a Vezina Trophy finalist as one of the league's top goaltenders in 2009.
Backstrom was one of Minnesota's top players during the 2008-09 season, finishing with a .923 save percentage, a figure that was good enough for fourth in the league.
2008-09 NHL goaltending leaders
Backstrom will likely be given an opportunity to land on his feet in goaltender-deficient Calgary.
The Flames' netminders have combined for just 26 wins and a whopping 3.16 goals-against average this season, alongside a dismal .893 save percentage.
And while the end of Backstrom's NHL career is likely in sight, a revival wouldn't be unheard of.
Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas won the Vezina and a Stanley Cup back in 2011 at 37 years old, while former Wild goaltender Dwayne Roloson also turned back the clock in 2011, leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Eastern Conference Finals at the tender age of 41.
