After another disastrous NHL appearance, Boston Bruins goaltender Malcolm Subban received some encouragement from an unusual source: his opponent.
Injuries to Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin have seen Subban (and Zane McIntyre) recalled from AHL Providence, with Subban getting just the second start of his career on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild.
He made his debut two seasons ago in St. Louis, getting pulled after allowing three goals on six shots, and was no doubt hopeful his night would go better the next time around.
Subban had a clean first period against the Wild before three goals in the span of 5:29 in the second ended his night in what became a 5-0 loss.
Minnesota’s Devan Dubnyk – who made 27 saves for the 20th shutout of his career – found Subban after the game to console the young netminder.
“I know what that feels like,” Dubnyk told NHL.com. “It just feels like the world is going to end.
“It’s hard to describe, but it’s not a good feeling. It’s something that I’ve experienced.”
Dubnyk knows a thing or two about rough starts.
The 30-year-old was drafted 14th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2004, before making his debut in 2009-10. He finished the season with a .889 save percentage and 3.57 goals-against average in 19 appearances.
Dubnyk put together three solid seasons in Edmonton before struggling and finding himself passed on to two other organizations in the span of three months. He finished the 2013-14 season in the AHL.
The Regina native eventually caught on with Arizona and then Minnesota where Dubnyk firmly entrenched himself as the Wild’s starter. Minnesota put faith in him by signing Dubnyk to a six-year, $26-million contract in the summer of 2015.
Subban was drafted 24th overall in 2012, and worked with Dubnyk back when the 2015 Bill Masterton Trophy winner was helping the 2013 Canadian world junior team.
“I gave him the rundown of the start to my career, which was a whole lot worse than his start,” said Dubynk of his and Subban’s post-game meeting. “Not that it would make him feel better, but more to just let him know that he has a long career ahead of him and to keep working.
“It probably didn’t help. But I’ve been through that exact same situation at the start of my career and it wasn’t fun.”
The Bruins prospect has had success with Providence, and at 22 years old, there is plenty of time for him to figure things out at the NHL level. His next start could come Saturday in Detroit.
“It seems like that is going to be such a big deal, but at the end of the day, it’s two half games,” said Dubnyk. “Those two games, as much as they feel (bad) right now, they’re going to be such a small blip in his career. It’ll be a story to tell. Maybe he can talk to somebody one day, too.”
