Backstrom Starting to Get the Credit he Deserves

There is an excellent article about Niklas Backstrom over on NHL.com.

A couple quotes:

"I think he has held our team together," Minnesota backup goalie Josh Harding said. "We've had a couple of key injuries this year and he's been the backbone of our defense. Nik has been outstanding. It doesn't matter what type of situation he gets put in, he thrives on the pressure. He is making everything look really easy out there. Nik looks calm, but he also works hard on his game and has always been like that. He comes to work every day.

"As a backup goalie it is really an honor for me to see a guy who works hard to improve his game. I know that he is a competitive goalie and a mature guy. It is definitely going to help my career by playing with a goalie of that pedigree. He played against older men in Finland and learned a lot from them on the way to the NHL. To me, that role model is Nik and I'm just hoping to take what he has in his game and transfer it into mine."

"Two years ago, he was the save percentage leader and last year he was .920 and he has been around .925 this season, so he has continued what he started here in Minnesota," Wild goalie coach Bob Mason said. "He had a great training camp and he carried it into the current season. One little blip on the screen was a Dallas game where we weren't good in front of him, they got a couple of quick ones and made it 3-0, but he has been sharp from the start."

Ah, there's that Save %. I just really like looking at that number. Ridiculous.

Good to see he is starting to get the credit he deserves. I sure hope Doug Risebrough isn't still going with the wait and see approach.