Can Devan Dubnyk Save the Minnesota Wild?

In an attempt to save an astoundingly disappointing season, Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher has let go of a 3rd round pick for Coyotes’ goaltender Devan Dubnyk in return. Some seem to think the Wild are simply adding another less-than-desirable goalie to their roster. But if you look closely, they might have just found a piece of the puzzle that has been missing since November.

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The first thing I noticed when looking deeper into his stats was that Dubnyk has never played for a playoff team. Edmonton was terrible over his 5 year span there, never finishing with over 32 wins in a season. In that 32 win season, Dubnyk played in 47 games, finishing with 20 wins and a .914 save percentage. He allowed 2.67 goals per game for a team that allowed 31 shots per game.

Fast forward a few years and Dubnyk found himself holding his own with yet another terrible team in Phoenix. This season, through 19 games with the Coyotes, Dubnyk allowed 2.72 goals per game with a .916 save percentage. His record was 9-5-2. While those stats don’t jump off your screen, let’s not forget his team allowed him to get peppered by about 32 shots per game. In a single day, he went from back up on a bad team to starter on a team trying to dig itself out of a hole. This move shows tank-mode is on for Phoenix.

But that doesn’t matter for Devan Dubnyk. He’s excited to get the huge role he feels is deserved.

“… As it settled in, I just got more and more excited,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for me to come play. You know obviously with the way things were there in Arizona with (Smith) there, they’ve got a great goalie locked up for a lot of years. So to get a chance to come somewhere and play games is exciting for me.”

Things could not have gone better in his first Wild start. Of course, it was against Buffalo. That’s the asterisk. But it’s not like the Wild escaped with a 3-1 victory. It was the most dominating game I’ve seen in my years watching the Wild following the worst stretch of games I’ve seen. After the 7-0 victory, Dubnyk said, “That was probably one of the most complete games I’ve ever been a part of, from start to finish.”

Yes, there are other issues this team needs to clean up. However, it all starts with goaltending. It was becoming obvious this team had no confidence between the pipes and it started to show in their defensive play. Having a confident new face in the crease might be just what the doctor ordered.

Next: Wild Stats: Good, Bad and Downright Ugly

Jan 15, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) makes a save on a shot by Buffalo Sabres left wing Matt Moulson (26) during the second period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

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