Devan Dubnyk hopes to pay his goaltending redemption story forward in retirement
Devan Dubnyk’s NHL story is one of resilience, patience, and a rare second act. Drafted 14th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2004, Dubnyk was once seen as the franchise’s goalie of the future. But the road from prospect to NHL All-Star was anything but smooth. In an in-depth conversation, Dubnyk opened up about the hard years in the minors, his unexpected resurgence, and the lessons he’s now passing on to the next generation.
The 39-year-old put together a 253–206–54 over 542 games played, which included 33 shutouts and a career .914 save percentage.
Dubnyk’s path to the NHL began with a common misconception: that being drafted meant you’d made it.
“At first, you think you’re in — like, ‘They drafted me, now I’m in,’” Dubnyk told Daily Faceoff. “But the truth is, a lot of guys get drafted and don’t go anywhere. At that point, you’re just an asset.”
Rather than jump straight to the NHL, Dubnyk started his pro career in the ECHL with the Stockton Thunder. Edmonton didn’t have an AHL affiliate at the time, and the Oilers didn’t want him sitting on the bench.
“It was a good year. I played a lot, learned a lot,” he said. “Then Edmonton got the Springfield Falcons, and I started backing up Jeff Deslauriers. It was frustrating sometimes—Deslauriers was the first call-up—but when he was in Edmonton, I played every game in the AHL. That was huge for my development.”
The payoff came in 2010 when Dubnyk made his NHL debut. But it wasn’t until the end of that season—his final two games, against the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks—that he felt the tide turning.
“Those last two games felt huge. We won in L.A. 4–3, and the next night I played back-to-back in Anaheim. That summer I got a one-way contract. That was the turning point.”
Dubnyk believes today’s top goalie prospects — like Devon Levi or Yaroslav Askarov — face a much tougher environment.
“It’s a different game now,” he said. “There’s so much hype. College isn’t the NHL. It’s a massive jump. When guys are thrown into struggling organizations and expected to be saviors, it’s a recipe for disaster. If they stumble, people write them off too fast.”
Having experienced his own ups and downs, Dubnyk understands the toll it can take.
By 2014, after bouncing between the Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Montreal Canadiens organizations, Dubnyk found himself in the AHL with no clear path back. That summer, he made a choice.
“I just decided to hit reset. I didn’t dissect the past. I just wanted a fresh start.”
He worked with a trainer in Kelowna, British Columbia, who emphasized nutrition, mindset, and even analytics. Then came a pivotal opportunity with the Arizona Coyotes —and a mentor in Sean Burke.
“Sean didn’t tell me where to play in the net. He told me how to be effective — be set, be on your feet for every shot. That changed everything.”
Dubnyk played well with the Coyotes, rediscovered his game, and began to enjoy the game of hockey again. But even he couldn’t have predicted what would happen next.
Traded to the Minnesota Wild in January 2015, Dubnyk became the Wild’s instant starter. His first game? A 7–0 shutout in Buffalo.
“I wasn’t overthinking it — just taking it one game at a time,” he said. “Then it snowballed.”
What followed was one of the most remarkable second halves by a goaltender in recent NHL history. That season with the Wild, Dubnyk started 38 consecutive games and put together a 27–9–2 record with a 1.78 goals against average and a .936 save percentage. He helped them to a playoff berth, and he ended up a Masterton Trophy winner and a Vezina Trophy finalist.
“Insane. Just nuts,” he said. “Before that, you’re just trying to play well. In Minnesota, I learned to prepare to win. That became my mindset every game.”
Dubnyk didn’t just reclaim his career—he became one of the league’s most durable goaltenders. He started 67 games in back-to-back seasons and thrived on the heavy workload.
“I’ve always wanted to play every game,” he said. “Even in the WHL with Kamloops, I played 54 games in one year. When the puck drops, all you want to do is play.”
He helped Minnesota reach the playoffs in six straight seasons, becoming a fixture in the team’s rise to contention. Late in his career, Dubnyk made a brief stop in Colorado, joining a stacked Avalanche team that had a young Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, Gabe Landeskog and the dog, Nate MacKinnon.
“It was short, but cool to be around guys like Rantanen, Landeskog, MacKinnon, and Makar,” Dubnyk said. “The organization was so well-rounded—on-ice, off-ice, development, everything.”
After retiring in 2022, Dubnyk spent a couple years working for the NHL Network as an analyst. Today, he’s part of the Nation Network and his ‘Ask Dubey’ column is a staple on Oilers Nation. But above all, he’s focused on goalie development, launching a new program aimed at helping young players as a mentor, consultant and coach — not just technically, but mentally and emotionally.
“I’ve been through it all. Now I want to help others manage those same highs and lows,” he said. “It’s not just about stopping the puck. It’s about becoming a pro in every sense.”
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