Avs add depth in net by acquiring old foe

On Friday, the Avs acquired an old friend in Patrik Nemeth to help down the stretch. On Saturday, they acquired an old enemy.

Not completely satisfied with his depth at the goaltender position, Joe Sakic went out and acquired 34-year-old Devan Dubnyk from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Greg Pateryn and a 2021 5th round draft pick. Dubnyk, who Avs fans will remember from his time with the rival Minnesota Wild, had posted a .898 save percentage in San Jose this year, to go with a 3-9-2 record.

Before an optional skate on Saturday, coach Jared Bednar said that Dubnyk will likely join the team in the evening, giving the Avs another option in net almost immediately. The move comes less than 24 hours after Jonas Johansson picked up his first career shutout against Anaheim.

Bednar did announce it’s unlikely the Avs will see Pavel Francouz again this year, which should come as no surprise after the Dubnyk acquisition.  Francouz is currently on long-term injury reserve, giving the Avs the room to go out and acquire Dubnyk, and had yet to even start a game this year.

How the Avs handle their goaltending down the stretch will be interesting to watch. Dubnyk has struggled since the 2018-19 season, but will immediately step in behind Grubauer to give them a veteran option when they need to give their starter nights off down the stretch. Grubauer is tied for the NHL lead in starts on the year, so don’t be surprised if you see a good bit of Dubnyk over the next month to lighten the load for Grubauer heading into the playoffs.

Stay tuned to DNVR in case the Avs make any more moves before Monday’s trade deadline. Currently atop the NHL standings, they have the space to make one more depth move if they choose to do so and load up for a Stanley Cup run.