Devan Dubnyk has been so good for the Minnesota Wild that we might as well start inserting his name into ex-Viking Fred Smoot’s famous, self-absorbed quote.
“Two-thirds of the world is covered by water. The other third is covered by Fred Smoot Devan Dubnyk.”
Dubnyk is shutting down opponents at an electric clip. The 28-year-old goaltender went 4-0 last week and was rewarded by the NHL on Monday with the First Star of the Week – his second such award since joining the Wild in a mid-January trade.
Dubnyk is second in the NHL this season with a 2.05 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in 53 games. With the Wild, he has started 34 consecutive games while posting a 26-6-1 record with a 1.70 goals-against average, .939 save percentage and five shutouts.
Devan Dubnyk update: 34 straight starts with #mnwild, 26-6-1, 57 goals allowed, 1.70 GAA, .939 SV%. Allowed 2 goals or less in 26 of 34.
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) March 29, 2015
Michael Russo of the Star Tribune notes that the Wild were tied for the worst save percentage (.889) in the NHL before acquiring Dubnyk. Ever since Minnesota has scaled the stats mountain to 11th in the league (.912).
Devan Dubnyk update: 34 straight starts with #mnwild, 26-6-1, 57 goals allowed, 1.70 GAA, .939 SV%. Allowed 2 goals or less in 26 of 34.
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) March 29, 2015
Dubnyk for MVP?
I think Dubnyk deserves consideration for mvp of the league
— Pat Micheletti (@patmick2626) March 25, 2015
A goalie hasn’t won the MVP award since Jose Theodore in 2001-02; and even as good as Dubnyk has been with the Wild, CBS Sports says he’s not playing at the level Montreal’s Carey Price is. So if you’re hoping Dubnyk wins the MVP or Vezina Trophy (top goalie award), you’re probably out of luck thanks to Price in Montreal and a history of MVP awards going to goal-scoring forwards.
