Twin Cities.com · May 12, 2015
Wild: Niklas Backstrom presents odd challenge in goalie plans
Niklas Backstrom declined interview requests Monday as the Wild cleaned out their lockers for the season, leaving a conspicuous void in a long discussion about what Minnesota will look like in between the pipes next season.
Devan Dubnyk said Monday he wants to come back, and Darcy Kuemper is under contract. So is Backstrom, but the veteran appears to be the odd man out after injuries hobbled him for large parts of the past two seasons.
If the Wild re-sign Dubnyk, a Vezina Trophy candidate who helped the Wild make the playoffs by going 27-9-2 with a 1.78 goals-against average and .936 save percentage, they'll have three goaltenders under one-way contracts.
Does one have to go?