Goalie Devan Dubnyk signs PTO, inches closer to NHL return

Devan Dubnyk is back on the ice: the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers announced on Tuesday afternoon that the club has signed the former All-Star goalie to a professional tryout offer.

This marks Dubnyk’s first stint back in the American League since 2014.

The soon-to-be 36-year-old started off the 2021-22 season without a contract after splitting 2021 between the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche, posting disappointing results that ultimately left him stuck with the free agent label.

But Dubnyk feels like he’s got left in the tank, he who was nominee for the Vezina Trophy back in 2014. It’s been a while since DD posted stellar numbers and a save percentage above .900. It last came in 2018-19, with Dubnyk bottoming out at a .886 in five appearances with the Avalanche as an injury replacement last season.

Joining a crowded crease in Charlotte might motivate him to push and get better. The Checkers split their roster between the Seattle Kraken and Florida Panthers as the expansion Kraken finalizes their affiliate in Palm Springs. The Checkers currently have AHL veterans Antoine Bibeau and Chris Gibson on the roster, with Joey Daccord likely to return to the team when Kraken Chris Driedger returns from the IR.

While for now Dubnyk could be use as insurance policy, this is a great opportunity to inch closer to an NHL return.

If not, the time spent amongst a professional team could allow Dubnyk to become a top candidate for the starting goaltender for Canada at the Games if the NHL were to opt-out of its participation in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.