Wild Sign Goalie Dubielewicz, Add Forwards DiSalvatore and Milroy

The Minnesota Wild have announced that they have signed goaltender Wade Dubielewicz and right wings Jon DiSalvatore and Duncan Milroy to one-year contracts. Terms of the three deals were not disclosed. Dubielewicz appeared in only three games last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, posting a 1-2-0 record with a 3.55 GAA and a .870 save percentage. He spent most of last season playing in the KHL with Kazan prior to playing with the Blue Jackets. In 40 career games with the Blue Jackets and New York Islanders, he has a 17-15-1 record with a career 2.63 GAA and a .916 save percentage. DiSalvatore did not appear in any NHL games last season, instead playing in 76 games with the Lowell Devils of the AHL, scoring 20 goals and 33 assists for 53 points. Milroy played in 49 games last with Ingolstadt of the German league, scoring 14 goals and 34 assists for 48 points.

Dubielewicz is a decent back-up goalie signing if Niklas Backstrom or Josh Harding should be sidelined a lengthy period of time with an injury or if the team decides it wants to trade Harding to bring in some scoring depth. DiSalvatore and Milroy are really just depth signings for the Wild. DiSalvatore has been a very steady scorer the last several seasons at the AHL and should be a great scorer for the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Houston, but has not been able to crack the NHL full-time. If he plays for the Wild next season, it will likely be on the fourth line. Milroy has also been a steady scorer at the AHL level, but not been able to jump to the NHL full-time. He will likely spend most of next season in Houston, providing the team with plenty of offensive depth.

Islanders Sign Golatender Dubielewicz but Blue Jackets Claim Him Off Waivers

The New York Islanders cannot seem to catch a break this season with their goaltending. On Thursday, the Islanders signed goaltender Dubielewicz to a one-year contract due to injuries to Rick DiPietro and Joey MacDonald. However, he had to pass through waivers before he could suit up with the team and was claimed off waivers on Saturday by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dubielewicz played in 20 games last season with the Islanders, posting a 9-9-1 record with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. He signed a contract with Ak Bars Kazan of the Kontinental Hockey League this past summer. In 21 KHL games, he posted an 11-8-3 record with a 2.77 goals-against average. The Blue Jackets' claiming of Dubielewicz off waivers comes amidst rumors that Pascal Leclaire may require season-ending ankle surgery. This is kind of a dirty move by the Blue Jackets, considering they could have claimed Vancouver goaltender Curtis Sanford off waivers this past week. Islanders' GM Garth Snow has to be absolutely livid right now, but there are other options for him to consider. He could keep going with Yann Danis and Peter Mannino as the goalie tandem, hoping that their play improves, or he make inquires to the Vancouver Canucks or Ottawa Senators regarding Curtis Sanford and Martin Gerber, respectively. Perhaps Snow could convince fellow GM's Mike Gillis and Bryan Murray to place the goaltenders on waivers, but I have a sneaking suspicion they could try to squeeze Snow for a draft pick. As for the Blue Jackets, Dubielewicz should be a fine addition to their goaltending corps. He will likely backup Steve Mason, who is having a stellar rookie season. Dubielewicz will give the Blue Jackets a solid backup for the rest of the season, but his and Mason's lack of playoff experience could spell any early playoff exit for the team if they manage to make the playoffs.