Western Conference Hottie: Josh Harding (Minnesota Wild)

While it's a sad thing that some of these goalies cover up all the hotness with a mask, we can hardly blame them. I mean, none of us want them getting their pretty faces busted up with a flying puck either.

IMPORTANT HOCKEY STUFF: Harding was selected in the 2nd round of the 2002 Draft (38th overall) by the Wild. Since being drafting, he played for several minor league teams including three seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Regina Pats of the WHL and most recently with the Houston Aeros of the AHL, the Wild's farm team. In the 04–05 season, his rookie season with the Aeros, he posted a 21–16–3 record with a 2.01 goals against average, second best in the league.

Harding was called up to the Wild on March 8, 2006, after goalie Dwayne Roloson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers leaving the team's tandem (of goalies) one man short. Before being called up, he had a 27–8–0 record with a .923%save percentage (second best in the AHL) in the Aeros' 2005–2006 season. He finished the season with a 29–8–0 record for the Aeros.

He appeared in three games with the Wild in 2005–06, going 2–1–0 with a 2.59 goals against average.

Harding began the 2006–07 season with the Aeros as well, compiling a 17–15–4 record before being recalled by the Wild on January 24, 2007. He recorded a 30-save, 5–0 shutout against the Oilers on March 1, 2007; the third shutout of his career. On October 14, 2007, Harding stopped 37 shots in his first game of the season shutting out the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 2–0. He compiled a record of 11-15 in the07-08 Season, with a goals against average of 2.94. He played less during the 2008-09 NHL Season, recording only 3 wins to go with 11 losses, but with a better 2.21 goals against average.

He was selected for the AHL all-star game in 05-06 (but did not play due to injury) Holds the Houston Aeros' franchise record for saves in a single game [56] and won a silver medal with Canada in the 2004 World Jr Championships.

REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF: He's 6'1" and 197 lbs. of dark brown haired, dark brown eyed net defending studliness. And the chipped tooth just makes him hotter. He is single and resides in Pasqua Lake, Saskatchewan, during the offseason...Nickname is “Hards”...Includes golfing, watching movies and hanging out with friends in his list of hobbies...Most memorable hockey moments were his first NHL game and playing for Team Canada at the WJC...Started playing hockey at age four and says his father, Tim, inspired his hockey career...Lists Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and David Beckham as the people he would most like to meet...First job was as a courtesy driver for a car dealership...Favorite NHL team as a kid was the Toronto Maple Leafs and favorite player was Felix Potvin...Favorite part of being in Minnesota is that it feels like home...Enjoys the music of Rascal Flatts...Favorite food is steak and his favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities [Minneapolis-St Paul, for you non-midwesterners out there] are Morton’s and DaVinci’s...Favorite television show is “Entourage” and favorite movies are Superbad and?Knocked Up...Favorite actor is Vince Vaughn...Lists NHL ‘08 as his favorite video game and potatoes as his favorite breakfast food...Calls football his favorite sport other than hockey...Likes to vacation at his cabin on Pasqua Lake...Favorite actresses are Jessica Simpson and Jessica Alba.

If all that wasn't enough, this is just TOO cute.



And after we drool over that, we see that he's a sensitive guy, with a penchant for doing nice stuff for breast cancer. His sister was diagnosed with it during the 06-07 season, and well, read the article. It made me sigh.

Now I ask you all. Who's not in love? Anyone?... I thought so.