Fansided

One player from each NHL team who should be on the NHL 18 cover

By David Rouben

Nov 2, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) prepares to throw pucks to the crowd after the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) prepares to throw pucks to the crowd after the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 29, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) celebrates the win after the game against the Dallas Stars at Xcel Energy Center. The Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) celebrates the win after the game against the Dallas Stars at Xcel Energy Center. The Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

Minnesota Wild: Devan Dubnyk

Devan Dubnyk’s career revival in Minnesota has been special to watch. While in Edmonton, he was just one in a carousel of goalies who couldn’t survive behind a weak defense and got blamed for losing as a result. After that, he bounced around the league serving mostly as insurance options to starting goalies. But just when it looked like he was down and out, the Wild came calling.

In 2014-15, Minnesota acquired Dubnyk from Arizona for a third-round pick, and looking back, that was one of the greatest return on investments you could ever ask for. He was immediately thrust into the starting role and made 38 straight starts to take the Wild from eight points out of the playoffs to sixth in the West. In that stretch, he went 27–9–2 with a .936 save percentage and five shutouts, and even got Vezina consideration.

If you sent his story to a movie studio, they’d turn it down because it’d be too unbelievable. A lot of people also criticized the Wild for signing him to a six-year contract because they didn’t think his play was sustainable in any way. While his numbers were nowhere close to his first half season, he still fashioned a .918 save percentage and brought the Wild to the playoffs in back-to-back years.

So far this season, he’s off to a spectacular start again. Three of his first six wins have been shutouts, and his save percentage is up to .947. Injuries have contributed to a slow offensive start, but defense and goaltending remain their strong suit. If you want to revive your career, just get Ryan Suter and Matt Dumba to play in front of you.

But even with Minnesota’s strong blue line, Dubnyk deserves all the credit for his spectacular turnaround.

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