National Hockey League: Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wilds signings
Devan Dubnyk will be staying with the Oilers after signing an $800,000 per season, one-way contract for the next two season. The 24-year-old goaltender was picked in the first round of the 2004 draft by the Edmonton Oilers but didn’t see NHL action until the 2009 season. Sharing the spot with Jeff Deslauriers, he played 19 games. By the end of the Season he had a Goal-Against Average of 3.57 and a save percentage of 0.889. He was on the Canadian team that won the gold medal in the 2006 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The towering Dubnyk also played impressively in the AHL recording a Goals-Against Average of 3.02 and a rather respectable save percentage of 0.915. The one way contract he has been offered now confirms that he won’t be pushed down into the AHL for at least two seasons. Previously, Dubnyk has never been on a one way contract and said that the vote of confidence his team had given him with this contract was, in his words, ‘Pretty Awesome’.
Dubnyk was handed a qualifying offer by the end of June. He turned down the qualifying offer of $735,000 and opted for Salary Arbitration instead. Dubnyk’s $800,000 would now act as a benchmark for Jeff’s arbitration hearing, if it goes to arbitration at all. The more likely outcome would be Jeff accepting a contract similar to Dubnyk’s instead of going through the ugly process of Salary Arbitration.
A day after Dubnyk was re-signed to the Oiler’s, they bagged defenseman Shawn Belle. The 25-year-old was offered a 1 year two-way deal. The contract is worth $650,000 per season in the NHL or $150,000 in the AHL. The 30th overall pick in the 2003 draft scored 3 goals in a 19 point previous season in the AHL. In his short, 11 games to date, NHL career, Belle has one assist and no goals.
The 6’1, 220 pound defenseman still has a long way to go but his size and a baffling speed to go with it give him a natural advantage as a defenseman. Belle could very well develop into a formidable blueliner.
The lastest re-signing for Edmonton Oilers came in the form of Left Winger J.F Jacques. Jacques signed also signed a 1 year deal with the Oilers after having filed for Salary Arbitration. The youngster was unable to score any points in the first two seasons with the Oilers. Following an injury in the Oilers, Jacques played his debut NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jacques showed considerable improvement over the years as he scored 11 point in 49 games last season with the Oilers.
Jacques plays a physically intense game and likes to take hits. He ranked top 10 in the league in terms of hits until he incurred a back injury. Even with his season cut short, Jeff went for 78 penalty minutes in his last NHL season. He totals 112 PIM in 109 NHL games.
Minessota Wilds keep goaltender Josh Harding
On Wednesday the Minnesota Wilds resigned goaltender Josh Harding. The backup goalie for Minnesota was offered a $1.2 million 1 year contract.
Harding, 26, stood 3.05 on the Goals-Against Average with one shutout in 25 games in the 2009-2010 Season. Harding would be back up for one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, Nikal Backstorm.
Harding took his time to sign the Wild’s qualifying offer from last month and waited until the very last day, to sign his contract before it expired.
Harding was picked in the second round of the 2002 draft by the Wilds. Since then he has stayed with the Wilds for 83 NHL games. His overall GAA is 2.66 and a save percentage of 9.15 with 4 shutouts.
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