Although Devan Dubnyk was simply dazzling since being acquired in a trade last season, Minnesota Wild coach Mike Yeo still has high hopes for backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
"Right from the start I want (Devan) to compete and I want him to play a lot of hockey games, but we know Darcy Kuemper is very capable," Yeo told the team's website. "... As a young player, there's not going to be quite as much on his shoulders as there was in the past, and that will allow him to kind of settle into his own game, feel confident, feel good about himself, and with that we'll see his game continue to rise."
Kuemper posted a 14-12-2 mark with three shutouts and a 2.60 goals-against average in 31 games with the Wild last season. The 25-year-old Saskatchewan native didn't see much action after Dubnyk was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes on Jan. 15, as the latter went a blistering 27-9-2 over the remainder of the season with five shutouts and a 1.78 goals-against average en route to being named a Vezina Trophy finalist.
Kuemper, who is 6-foot-5, owns a 27-22-6 record with five shutouts and 2.48 goals-against average in 63 career appearance with the Wild.
(h/t Minnesota Wild)
