Niklas Backstrom

Team Number:	32
Birth Date:	02/13/1978
Height:	6'2"
Weight:	196lbs.
Position:	Goalie

More Info
Niklas Backstrom was born on Feb 13, 1978 in Helsinki, Finland. Backstrom has spent his hockey career with the Karpat Oulu of the Finnish Elite League before being signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Wild on June 1, 2006.

Niklas Backstrom was also the third goaltender for Team Finland in the 2006 Winter Olympics, but did not play in any games. In the Finnish league he played for HIFK, SaiPa and Kärpät. Backstrom led Kärpät to two consecutive league titles in 2004 and 2005. The goalie’s best record with Karpat Oulu came in the 2005-06 season when he simply dominated in the net, posting a 32-9-10 record with 10 shutouts.

In his first NHL season, Niklas Backstrom minded net for 41 of the Minnesota Wild’s games. In the beginning of the 2006-2007 season, Niklas Backstrom was the backup for the Minnesota Wild's starting goaltender, Manny Fernandez. Fernandez suffered a knee injury mid-season and Backstrom was forced into the starting position. Backstrom played exceptionally over the second half of the season, finishing first in the league in both goals against average and save percentage, while tying Dwayne Roloson's team record with five shutouts in just 36 starts. He posted an impressive record of 23-8-6 and a stellar 1.97 GAA.

In his entire career, including his time in the Finnish Elite League, Backstrom has been solid, never allowing a GAA in excess of 2.17. In the 2005-06 season with Karpat Oulu, Backstrom posted a league low 1.68 GAA. Although the Minnesota Wild will find it difficult to keep two top notch goalies on their payroll, it would be nice to see Niklas Backstrom stick around.