DUCKS DEAL GOALIE DESLAURIERS TO WILD
The Minnesota Wild acquired goaltender Jeff Deslauriers from the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations.
What does it give the Minnesota Wild
Backup goalie Josh Harding's ongoing health issues are of pressing concern for a Minnesota team that seems intent on a long playoff run. Enter Deslauriers, a veteran netminder who is fairly talented and still fairly young. Deslauriers has struggled in the minors this season and last, but he has a solid amount of NHL experience after playing 48 games for the Oilers back in 2009-10. This is clearly an insurance move for the Wild, who may still get Harding back for the playoff push.
What does it give the Anaheim Ducks
The emergence this season of savvy first-year backup netminder {P Viktor Fasth} has made Deslauriers expendable, and Anaheim is fairly stacked in their system with goalie prospects (including {P Igor Bobkov} and {P John Gibson}). Snagging future considerations here for a goalie who clearly wasn't in their plans (either long-term or short-term) is a solid move.
Fantasy impact
Deslauriers may be worth keeping an eye on if he gets called up and is needed as a backup for veteran workhorse starter {P Niklas Backstrom}. That said, considering Deslauriers' recent few seasons in the minors, it seems a longshot that he'll make much of a splash in the NHL either down the stretch or in the postseason.
