Wild Signs 51-Year-Old Print Shop Owner Paul Deutsch as Emergency Goalie

The Minnesota Wild signed a 51-year-old print shop owner to serve as the team’s emergency goalie Wednesday.

Paul Deutsch runs a screen printing and embroidery store in Richfield (Minn.), and he is a good friend of assistant Mike Ramsey. Deutsch has practiced with the team several times over the past few years when one of the goalies needed a day off. The Wild signed him as their emergency goalie Wednesday because they had limited options.

Starter Niklas Backstrom will miss the game because of personal reasons, so backup Josh Harding will be in net. The Wild summoned Matt Hackett from the minors, but he had to fly from Houston to Minneapolis for the game. Unsure of when Hackett would arrive, the team signed Deutsch to a contract because they were not allowed to sign an emergency goalie with professional experience.

Not only is it impressive that Deutsch was signed as a 51-year-old, but it’s even more impressive to learn that he didn’t even start playing goalie until his thirties. The aged athlete is now in the same class as the 52-year-old boxer, the 49-year-old college swimmer, and the 61-year-old college football player.

H/T Clay Travis