Minnesota Wild defenseman and former two-time University of Maine All-American Keith Carney says he has surprised himself with his longevity. He is in his 15th NHL season.

“I never thought I’d go this long,” said the 37-year-old Carney. “When you start out, you’re just trying to survive. You’re trying to make it year-to-year.”

Carney has played at least 79 games in nine seasons and said he feels fortunate “that I’ve been able to stay healthy.”

And he certainly shows no signs of slowing down.

He led the Wild in plus-minus this season at plus-22.

Players are given a plus-one if they’re on the ice when their team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal and a minus one if the opposing team scores one.

He had 4 goals and 13 assists in 80 games and averaged 15:31 of playing time per game.

He has 44 goals and 173 assists in 957 career regular season games and 2 & 18 in 81 playoff games.

He was rated the NHL’s 38th best defenseman on CBS Sportsline.com.

“The season has gone pretty well. When everyone on the team takes pride in defense like we do, it’s easier to get the [plus-minus] numbers,” said Carney whose Wild allowed the fewest goals in the league (191) en route to earning the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Anaheim beat Minnesota 3-1 Wednesday in the first game in their best-of-seven series.

Anaheim was one of Carney’s five previous NHL teams.

“He has been a big factor in Minnesota’s success,” said Anaheim assistant general manager Dave McNab. “He’s had a great career. He’s still playing well. He’s a good player. He’s always been a good player.”

Carney played for Vancouver last season after leaving Anaheim and signed a free agent contract with Minnesota “because I wanted to play for a team that played a defensive style. I also wanted to play for a great coach like Jacques Lemaire so I could get better and keep learning.”

That has happened and Carney said Minnesota has been a great fit for him.

“The Xcel Energy Center is a great place to play and it’s sold out every night,” said Carney.

Carney’s family life is as hectic as his hockey career.

Carney and wife Amy have five-year-old triplets: boys Kade, Aidan and Cole, along with four-year-old daughter Morgan.

“The boys started playing hockey this year. They had fun,” said Carney, who returns home after practice to do various puzzles, play board games or go downstairs and play hockey with his kids.

Carney thoroughly enjoys his time with his family and said he hopes to keep playing as long as he can.

“I’ve got one more year on my contract and we’ll see what happens after that,” said Carney, who makes $2.1 million a year.

Carney, who left Maine after his junior year in 1991, still owns the school record among defenseman for assists in a career (112) and a season (49, 1990-91).

The 6-foot-2, 204-pound Pawtucket, R.I. native keeps tabs on his alma mater and said he watched part of the team’s 4-2 loss to Michigan State in the Frozen Four semifinal.