Devan Dubnyk trade update

Devan Dubnyk has had an interesting career.

But he made the most of his chances with the Wild, and took them from pretenders to contenders.  Well, at least enough to get them into the playoffs.

Now he is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Minnesota wants him back.  And in this case it is less about agreement on contractual terms and more about wrestling that pesky salary cap.

The sides are set to meet in Las Vegas according to CBS Sports:

On Tuesday afternoon, Dubnyk said (via ESPN’s Craig Custance) that the issue right now has more to do with salary cap restrictions in Minnesota than any disagreements over contract term. It was reported last week that Dubnyk’s camp is apparently looking for a long-term contract that is worth more than $5 million per season, a number that would place him among the 19 highest paid goalies in the league.

The Wild have a little more than $12 million in salary cap space for seven roster spots as of Tuesday.

Dubnyk said on Tuesday that he hopes to continue his career in Minnesota and that it’s the place he wants to be, but he also seems to understand this might be his one big chance to get a significant contract in the NHL.

“That earning window is small and sometimes there are opportunities, and they can go away on you,” Dubnyk said on Tuesday, via Dan Rosen of NHL.com. “I almost had it go away completely last year. You have to understand that’s an important part of it and that’s part of your life as well, but you weigh both sides and understand that in a good situation, as long as it’s fair, and it has to be fair, you’re going to do everything you can to make sure it happens.”

Photo courtesy of Sarah Connors.