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Avalanche add goalie insurance with Devan Dubnyk acquisition

The juggernaut Colorado Avalanche aren't about to leave things to chance.

Adding important depth to the goaltending position, the Avalanche have acquired netminder Devan Dubnyk from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for veteran defenseman Greg Pateryn and a fifth-round draft selection this summer.

Dubnyk is merely insurance for Vezina Trophy candidate and star Avalanche starter Philipp Grubauer, who has a 24-8-1 record with a .919 save percentage this season. Colorado's postseason run in last summer's bubble was spoiled, in large part, because Grubauer went down with injury, and the club was forced to start third-string netminder Michael Hutchinson in multiple elimination games in a seven-game series loss to the Dallas Stars.

The Avalanche are determined not to let another potential Philipp Grubauer injury derail their Stanley Cup hopes once again. (Getty)
The Avalanche are determined not to let another potential Philipp Grubauer injury derail their Stanley Cup hopes once again. (Getty) (Getty Images)

The Avalanche have had a rotation of backups this season, a list that doesn't include the preferred second option, injured backup Pavel Francouz. Hunter Miska and Jonas Johansson have shared the support role this season, with the latter joining the team last month in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres.

Dubnyk was traded from the Minnesota Wild to the Sharks in the offseason after a disappointing 2019-20 campaign where he managed just three wins in 17 appearances with a .898 save percentage.

It's safe to assume his numbers would improve under the conditions the first-place Avalanche provide, but Dubnyk is certainly a netminder on the downswing of his career, and suited better for a support role.

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