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Minnesota Wild: What Does The Opening Night Line-Up Look Like?

By Luke Ryan

ST PAUL, MN - APRIL 15: The Minnesota Wild congratulate teammate Jordan Greenway #18 on scoring a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center on April 15, 2018 in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Jets 6-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
ST PAUL, MN - APRIL 15: The Minnesota Wild congratulate teammate Jordan Greenway #18 on scoring a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center on April 15, 2018 in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Jets 6-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 25: Minnesota Wild Goalie
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 25: Minnesota Wild Goalie /

The Minnesota Wild aren’t going to surprise anyone with their pairing between the pipes this season. Coming into camp, Devan Dubnyk had his spot all but guaranteed and Alex Stalock had his there for the taking too.

Their only competitor was Andrew Hammond, who will start the league with the Iowa Wild but offers a perfectly viable backup to the backup option should things ‘go south’.

Devan Dubnyk comes off the back of a 0.918% save percentage year, after a 0.923% the year prior. Whether this is the sign of a gradual regression in his skill between the pipes or simply a blip on the radar, we shall see.

The more notable fact was that come playoff time, he dropped to a meagre 0.908% as the Minnesota Wild went out in five games. Dubnyk will certainly be expected to pick up his game somewhat should the Minnesota Wild be a chance at playoffs this year.

A workload of about sixty games is likely again, so let’s hope he spent the summer doing plenty of conditioning work.

In Alex Stalock, the Minnesota Wild pretty much have a case of ‘what you see is what you get’. A steady and able backup goaltender that isn’t about to post elite numbers, nor is he likely to be picked up as someone’s new number one goaltender.

As a Minnesota native, he no doubt enjoys pulling on a Minnesota Wild jersey and sees action twenty to thirty times a season.

His best season was a 0.932% save percentage behind the San Jose Sharks in the 2013-14 season, across 24 games.

Getting anywhere close to replicating that as Dubnyk’s backup would work out perfectly for the Minnesota Wild.

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