Wild trade Dubnyk, Donato to Sharks for draft picks

KSTP Sports
Wild goalie Devan Dubynk, left, makes a save against Calgary in a 2016 game. The Wild traded Dubnyk to San Jose, ending his six-season run in Minnesota.[AP Photo/Larry MacDougal]

The Minnesota Wild made a pair of trades Monday, sending goalie Devan Dubnyk and winger Ryan Donato to the San Jose Sharks in separate deals.

The Wild picked up a 2021 third-round pick for Donato, then just a few hours later announced they swapped Dubnyk and their own 2022 seventh-round pick for a 2022 fifth-round pick.

Dubnyk burst onto the scene when the Wild acquired him in a trade in the middle of the 2014-15 season. He earned three All-Star nods and twice finished in the top five in voting for the Vezina Trophy.

"It is part of the change that’s going on here," said Wild general manager Bill Guerin in a video opress conference Monday afternoon. "We need to go in a different direction. Devan and I had some very good open conversations the last little while and in the end I just think this is best for the Minnesota Wild."

Last season, Dubnyk went 12-15-2 with a 3.35 goals against average and an .890 save percentage – all well off the pace he set in his first five seasons with the Wild. He also missed time to be with his wife through a serious medical situation.

Former backup Alex Stalock was head coach Dean Evason’s pick to start all four Wild playoff games against Vancouver.

Donato, 24, was also replaced in the Wild lineup for the playoff series after scoring 23 points in 62 games. He was originally acquired in a trade with Boston that sent Charlie Coyle to the Bruins.

"Ryan is an offensively-gifted young player who loves to compete and use his terrific shot," said Wilson. "His game had shown steady improvement each season and we think his best hockey is ahead of him."

It was a busy day for the Wild, with the team also re-signing forward Nico Sturm to a two-year contract and defenseman Carson Soucy to a three-year deal.