Resurrecting the Career of Devan Dubnyk
Chris Pudsey
2015-06-25
Devan Dubnyk’s career path has been winding, and now he wants to cash in.
"I had the most fun playing hockey I ever had in my career. At the same time, that earning window is small, and sometimes there's opportunities and they can go away on you. I almost had it go away completely last year."
These are the words of current unrestricted free agent, Devan Dubnyk. The 29 year-old former first round pick of the Edmonton Oilers is currently trying to negotiate a new deal with his current club, the Minnesota Wild.
It's interesting because it was just one year ago that Dubnyk was in a similar position, contract-wise. He was an unrestricted free agent struggling to find work. This year, finding work won't be the issue, finding the right contract could be.
Coming off a Vezina-nominated season (and the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy), Dubnyk has shown he has finally blossomed into the goalie the Oilers thought they were drafting back in 2004. Goalies are a finicky bunch. Sometimes it takes years to come of age and find your path and that was definitely the case for Dubnyk. To say it was the trade to Minnesota that turned his career around would be inaccurate to some extent. If anything, it was working with goalie coach Sean Burke of the Arizona Coyotes that seemed to be eye-opener and game changer for Dubnyk.
So Dubnyk, coming off a possible award-winning season, wants to cash in, literally. It's hard to blame him. We've seen it time and time again with free agents heading into a contract year; put up the big numbers to get that one big contract. Why is it acceptable for a skater to cash in on his big season, yet a goalie seems to get doubted that he is worth the money after he puts up solid numbers in his contract year? Dubnyk knows this is probably his one true shot and "the big one" as far as contracts go so he wants to make it count.
I have no doubt that Wild GM, Chuck Fletcher was waiting on the official number in regards to the pending salary cap for the upcoming season before sharpening his pencil, so to say. Well Chuck, the numbers out there and now you know how much cap space you have to play with and who you have left to re-sign. Your priority is staring you in the face and his name is Devan Dubnyk. Chuck, the man basically picked your team up from despair, put it on his back and helped lead you into the playoffs. Look at the other goalies making $5M+ per season and compare their career numbers to Dubnyk's. Chuck, you know the money he's asking for isn't crazy.
Chuck, your starting goalie is sitting across from you waiting for you to give him exactly what he deserves. He wants a fair deal and so you do. If you don't offer it to him, someone else is going to. Look at his career numbers then look at what other goalies who haven't done as much as Dubnyk are getting paid. There are goalies in the league who are making a lot more than $5M per season who simply aren't as good as what you already have.
Chuck, just pay the man, smile and know you've done the right thing and have helped your franchise for the next few years.
*cap numbers taken from General Fanager
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Previous Capped articles:
Finding Homes for Free Agent Forwards
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