Hats Off to Josh Harding

(espn.go.com) ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Josh Harding has been perhaps the feel-good story of the NHL season, putting up numbers unmatched for a goalie, after revealing he has multiple sclerosis.

The Minnesota Wild goalie was placed on injured reserve Wednesday night to give him time to make adjustments to medication, and the team is confident he will return in top form.

"Over the next week, Josh will make a minor adjustment to his treatment protocol," Wild GM Chuck Fletcher said in a statement issued by the team. "Josh feels great and he looks forward to rejoining our team for our game in Winnipeg on Dec. 27."

That Fletcher put an exact timeline on Harding's return is encouraging for a team that has leaned heavily on him to keep it in the playoff picture in the demanding Western Conference. Harding revealed this summer that he had been diagnosed with MS but planned to continue playing while taking medication.

There were plenty of skeptics. However, after starting the season as the backup to Niklas Backstrom, Harding asserted himself as the Wild's unquestioned No. 1 goalie. He has gone 18-5-3 and leads the NHL with a 1.51 goals-against average and .939 save percentage. He is fresh off making 29 saves and stopping all three shootout attempts by Vancouver in Minnesota's 3-2 victory over the Canucks on Tuesday night.

Josh Harding, you sir, have some balls.  Diagnosed with a disease that affects your coordination and eyesight and instead of quitting your job as a pro hockey goalie, you just shove it right back in everyone's face. Not only do you win your starting job back, but you also lead the league in GAA and Save %. Yeah, that's about as impressive as it gets.

Had to give Harding a little shout-out here even though he probably hasn't even thought twice about what he's doing because that's just what hockey players are like. They're tough, don't care about attention or any of that, they just play the game they love and give it there all.  

Maybe that's why the NHL is far and away more watchable than the "dumpster fire" (as Friend so elegantly called it) that we call the NBA. Hockey players just play, and that's what we want to see. The NBA now is full of soft fouls and attention craving athletes, and it sucks to watch. If Lebron did anything this incredible he would remind us everyday and we'd have to listen to ESPN suck his dick and tell him how awesome he is.

So, hats off to you Josh Harding, keep doing you.