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Minnesota is holding a contest for a new emergency goalie

Paul Deutsch

Remember when the Wild were out of goalies last season and 51 year-old Paul Deutsch got the call to be the team’s emergency goalie?

That remarkable set of circumstances that led to that very rare one-game signing has inspired the team to do something fun while the lockout rolls on: They’re going to do something like American Idol and hold a contest to see who can be their next emergency goalie.

The team invited 11 goalies from around Minnesota to try out for the chance to possibly ride the bench or, gulp, see real NHL action out of the blue. Tomorrow, Wild goalie coach Bob Mason, Wild color analyst and former NHL goalie Mike Greenlay, as well as Deutsch will judge the auditions of those 11 and pick out two finalists.

How will the finalists be judged? The best goalie in a celebrity shootout during the Houston Aeros game at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday wins the job.

Considering the good press the Wild got for their scramble to get Deutsch signed and how perilously close he was to actually playing, this kind of contest should be an annual event.