StaTuesday: Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk at 300 games

Devan Dubnyk‘s .913 save percentage last season was his lowest since joining the Minnesota Wild in 2015, but the veteran netminder is well on his way to rewriting the franchise’s record books.

He’s already turned in an early candidate for save of the year, robbing former teammate Mikael Granlund during the season opener.

HAVE MERCY, Devan Dubnyk! ?

Early candidate for save of the year! pic.twitter.com/9t72eeN6ge

— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) October 4, 2019

Dubnyk, 33, appeared in his 300th Wild game Saturday, joining Niklas Backstrom as the only two goalies to reach that milestone for Minnesota. He’s already closing in on Backstrom’s all-time shutouts record.

One possible explanation for Dubnyk’s struggles last season: He’s been among the league’s hardest-working goalies over the past few years. Dubnyk is up to 319 games played since the beginning of the 2014-15 season, the year he joined the Wild a few weeks before the trade deadline, which leads the NHL over that span.

Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins, Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals are the only other goalies to reach 300 games since the beginning of 2014. Dubnyk’s .920 save percentage over that span leads the group.

He appeared in 67 games last season, playing just over 3,855 minutes, second only to Montreal Canadiens starter Carey Price, the third time in the last four seasons Dubnyk has finished in the top five.

He’s doing it all on a six-year contract signed back in 2015 that carries a cap hit of just $4.33 million per season. It’s freed the Wild up to spend in other areas. Dubnyk and backup Alex Stalock account for just 6.3% of Minnesota’s cap space.

That contract has been quite the value for the Wild.

Dubnyk was at his best upon arriving in Minnesota, posting a .936 save percentage in 39 games and carrying the Wild to the playoffs after starting the season with the Arizona Coyotes. Dubnyk won the Masterton Trophy, made his only All-Star appearance and finished third in the Vezina Trophy voting.

He posted a .918 save percentage the following year, before finishing fifth in the Vezina voting during the 2016-17 season with a .923. It was among the best runs by a goaltender in franchise history. Dubnyk had a .931 even-strength save percentage from 2014-17, part of a four-way tie for second in the NHL over that span.