Two offseasons ago, I was in Superior, Wisconsin working on NHL Entry Draft coverage. That offseason featured a lot of uncertainty in net for the Minnesota Wild. By the conclusion of the draft, that uncertainty was over. Devan Dubnyk, wunderkind in net for Minnesota, Bill Masterton Memorial Award winner, and a Vezina Trophy finalist was re-signed for six-years and $26 million.
It was a risk, no doubt, to re-sign a goalie that had given the team a superb half season. But that’s where the rub was - it was only a half season. How could a team be sure enough on such a short time period to make such an investment in a goalie like Dubnyk?