From a difficult 2032 campaign to one of the FNHL’s most reliable goaltenders, Richard Bachman is proving that there is still plenty left in the tank.
At 35 years old and entering his 12th professional season, Richard Bachman probably wasn't expected to suddenly become one of the biggest comeback stories in the Fantasy National Hockey League. Yet that is exactly what is happening.
After a disappointing 2032 season, Bachman has completely changed the narrative this year, putting together one of the most impressive bounce-back campaigns of his FNHL career.
Last season, Bachman struggled through a 70-game workload, finishing with a 24-34-7 record, a 3.13 goals-against average and a .890 save percentage. He allowed 202 goals and recorded two shutouts. Those numbers represented a significant step backward for a goaltender who had previously established himself as a dependable workhorse.
This season has been a very different story.
Through his current campaign, Bachman has posted a 23-15-3 record with a sparkling 2.59 GAA and a .907 save percentage, along with a shutout. His current numbers are even more impressive considering he has already collected 23 victories in just 41 decisions.
The improvement in Bachman's goals-against average is perhaps the most obvious indication of his resurgence.
His GAA has dropped from 3.13 last season to 2.59 this year, an improvement of more than half a goal per game. His save percentage has also jumped from .890 to .907, a substantial improvement for a veteran goaltender facing a heavy workload.
Perhaps most impressive is how quickly Bachman has accumulated wins.
He needed 70 games to record 24 victories last season. This year, he is already sitting at 23 wins, putting him on pace for 34 victories over a full 60-game pace based on his current rate. The FNHL player page currently lists his projected season at 34-22-4 with a 2.59 GAA and two shutouts.
That is a remarkable difference from where he was just one season ago.
Bachman's career history makes this resurgence even more interesting.
The veteran has now appeared in 790 professional games, with 355 wins and a career 2.71 GAA. His best stretch came earlier in his career, including a 2024 season in which he posted a 41-26-12 record and a 2.45 GAA, followed by a 2025 campaign in which he won 38 games with a 2.44 GAA.
Last year's struggles appeared to suggest that Father Time might finally be catching up with him.
Instead, Bachman has answered with his best statistical performance in several seasons.
What's particularly notable is that his current .907 save percentage would represent his best mark since 2025, while his 2.59 GAA is dramatically better than the 3.13 mark he posted last season.
With a $8.25 million contract for the current season, expectations are naturally high.
And after last season, there were legitimate questions about whether Bachman could still justify that kind of investment.
He's answering those questions the best way a goaltender can: by stopping pucks.
At 35, Bachman may no longer be the same goaltender who dominated the FNHL several seasons ago, but this season he has shown that he doesn't need to be. A 2.59 GAA, .907 save percentage and 23-15-3 record have him looking much more like the dependable veteran goaltender his team invested heavily in.
The biggest question now is whether he can maintain this level through the remainder of the season.
If he can, Richard Bachman's 2026-27 campaign could go down as one of the more impressive veteran comebacks in recent FNHL history.
Last season, Bachman was trying to find his game. This season, he's found it — and the rest of the FNHL is starting to take notice.
9/6/2026 - 604 words
