I just want her to feel better: Devan Dubnyk opens up about wife Jenns medical struggle
LAS VEGAS — Devan Dubnyk met the love of his life, Jenn, right before his 20th birthday.
He had just returned home to Calgary after wrapping up his junior career with the Kamloops Blazers. A week later, Jenn returned home after completing her first year of university at St. Francis Xavier in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
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They met through a mutual friend that dated one of Dubnyk’s best friends in high school and the rest is history.
“I convinced her to let me take her out for dinner, and that was it,” Dubnyk said, laughing hard during a conversation with The Athletic in the midst of Sunday’s Wild game in Chicago.
Ever since, Jenn has been there for every single part of Dubnyk’s hockey career.
“She’s been to Stockton. She came to Switzerland with me to the Spengler Cup. She’s been to Springfield. She’s been to Edmonton,” the Wild’s longtime No. 1 goalie said. “She’s been by my side the whole time.”
Along with Devan’s parents, Barb and Barry, it was Jenn who helped prevent him from completely melting down when his career was at a crossroads 5 ½ years ago. Admittedly “rock bottom,” Dubnyk found himself living alone in a Staybridge Suites in Hamilton, Ontario, after the Oilers traded him to the Nashville Predators, then the Predators traded him to the Montreal Canadiens.
Dubnyk was instantly buried in the minors to play for the Bulldogs, and Dubnyk recalls how he’d often depressingly stare out the window at the bikers in front of the Tim Horton’s and wonder if he’d ever make his way back to the National Hockey League.
Dubnyk, of course, would.
The story is well known by now. He signed with the Coyotes, reestablished his career, was traded to the Wild and saved their season during a spectacular 2015 second half in which he became a Vezina finalist and Masterton winner.
Now in his sixth season with Minnesota, Dubnyk is 26 wins from passing Niklas Backstrom for the most victories in Wild history.
“And Jenn supported me every step along the way,” Dubnyk, now 33, said. “That’s why this has been so tough.”
And it’s also why Dubnyk plans to be by his wife’s side and supporting her through every step of the biggest hardship of her life.
On the night of Nov. 19, Dubnyk returned to the Twin Cities from Buffalo, where the Wild had played the Sabres. He entered their family home and would soon discover that his wife was having a medical emergency.
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Dubnyk is so thankful that the Wild’s schedule lined up where it was only a one-game trip and he miraculously was able to be home at the time.
“I keep thinking what if I was still on the road,” Dubnyk said.
He called 9-1-1, and Jenn Dubnyk was rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
“It’s been a tough month to say the least,” Dubnyk, who hasn’t played since Nov. 16, said from his first road trip with the team since his wife became ill. “We’ve been to many, many different doctors, the hospital twice and checkups and blood draws. The poor girl’s been poked by a needle maybe 30 to 40 times in the last few weeks.”
To protect Jenn’s privacy, Dubnyk prefers not to get into specifics, but Jenn’s dealing with a serious and ongoing medical situation.
“We’ve gotten some more answers and we have a plan that’s hopefully going to take care of it and get her better,” Dubnyk said. “It’s going to take time, and it’s a bit up in the air. We don’t know fully where we’re going to go with it. We kind of have a plan in place now, so it’s still not easy and it’s still going to take time. I just want her to feel better as soon as she can.”
Devan and Jenn with their three sons. (Courtesy the Dubnyk family)It took Dubnyk really a full day after Jenn became sick to fully comprehend what was going on.
“You know, it’s like you’re mostly in shock,” he said. “It didn’t really hit me until the next day after we were settled into the hospital and they were checking everything out. At first, you’re just reacting. You’re not really thinking. It’s, ‘Who’s coming for the kids, who’s taking them to school, what room is she in?’
“You’re just reacting and you’re not really processing what’s going on. You’re just thinking the next thing and then all of a sudden in the middle of the day when there was a break and the kids were at school and I think I ripped home from the hospital to shower and change my clothes and it kind of all hits you at once and you kind of start to realize that this is kind of scary and crazy.”
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When Dubnyk was a teenager, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, but “this is a whole different ballgame.”
“When my mom was sick, you’re 15 years old and your mom is sick and it’s difficult, but you’re young and innocent and you really don’t understand what’s going on,” Dubnyk said. “Now, I’m an adult. We’ve got three kids, a family, so I’ve got my wife and children to take care of and worry about.
“It’s just really hard for me because Jenn,” Dubnyk said, his voice cracking, “because she … because ever since I’ve known her and watched her give birth to the three kids and just the way she is, she just doesn’t complain about anything. Like she’s just, it’s hard to see somebody that is so tough be in this position.
“She’s the toughest person in the world to me. To see her going through this and then to obviously not be feeling good, you just want so badly for her to feel good and feel normal. It’s difficult being away from her. It’s hard right now. What’s funny is I’d probably say she was pushing me to get back and get playing right from the start.”
Dubnyk said, laughing, “I mean, she was telling me to go on the Florida trip right after this happened and I’m like, ‘Not yet. It’s not time yet.’”
Jenn’s mother, Denise, flew to Minnesota from Edmonton hours after Jenn was hospitalized.
“She flew in before I could even give her the full prognosis of what happened,” Dubnyk said. “When this first happened, you know, it’s in the middle of the night. I didn’t know what was going on, I’m scared, and Jenn’s mom was 1,500 miles away. And since she couldn’t do anything anyway, I waited ‘til the morning to call her.
“I’m on the phone, and you know, Jenn was coming out of the MRI, and doctors were telling me all sorts of things, there was so much going on. So, I had to get off the phone with her mom. By the time I got back on the phone with her, she had her flight booked for 2 in the afternoon, and she’s been here ever since.
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“That’s been a big blessing having someone there with Jenn and knowing the kids love having her there, too. Jenn’s sister (Steph) also came after two days and stayed for eight or nine days, so it’s been great. You know, it’s different. While Jenn’s mom was taking care of the kids’ dinners and whatnot, I think having Steph there was really nice for Jenn.”
“She’s the toughest person in the world to me,” Dubnyk says of Jenn. “To see her going through this and then to obviously not be feeling good, you just want so badly for her to feel good.” (Ron Chenoy / USA Today)Parker and Dawson, Devan and Jenn’s youngest boys, are too young to really comprehend what’s going on.
Their oldest, Nate, is not and is confused and scared because he has witnessed some frightening stuff.
“I think the thing we’re just really trying to do is talk to him about it,” Dubnyk said. “He’s a super-smart kid, so it’s just one of those things where you just want to continue to have dialogue with him and help him understand. I mean, he’s six years old, so you don’t know how he’s going to really think about things or process things.
“You’re just trying to really make sure he’s not inventing things in his head that could happen that won’t, if you know what I mean. So far he’s been good and he’s not afraid to talk to us about it and we just try to keep an open dialogue with him, make sure if he has any questions or if he wants to ask anything that he asks it. We try to talk to him during the day about it at different times just to make sure he’s not keeping anything inside.”
Luckily for the Dubnyks, they have incredible support. His neighbors have been godsends throughout the ordeal, especially because Jenn’s not allowed to drive for several months, “which is problematic when you have three boys.”
“We have some great support and some great people helping out and that certainly helps to get back to work,” Dubnyk said as he eyes a return to the Wild net. “It’s nice that we’re in a spot where I feel comfortable coming back to the team, but it’ll be nice when we have a lot of home games coming up where I can help when I’m there. Like I said, this is just going to take time. It’s not going to get perfectly better overnight.
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“I just feel it’s important to be there for the kids and Jenn. She’s the toughest person I’ve ever met, so she just kind of handles it. Her entire life is her family and the kids and that’s just what she does. She does every single thing she can to keep them healthy and active and doing their stuff. That part hasn’t changed because it’s just who she is.
“Obviously it’s hard enough with three boys to get through it when you’re feeling 100 percent, so imagine what it’s like when you’re not 100 percent. But she’s just not somebody that’s going to stop. Whenever life puts something in her way, she’s going to keep on going.”
Dubnyk has been practicing on and off with the Wild whenever the team has been at home. When the team left town for its previous trip, Dubnyk skated twice with Mason Shaw, the Wild prospect who’s closing in on a return with the Iowa Wild from his latest knee injury. Now, he is on the Wild’s trip to practice Monday in Las Vegas and Wednesday in Glendale, Arizona.
While it hasn’t been determined with 100 percent certainty that he’ll return against the Coyotes, rookie Kaapo Kahkonen has given up nine goals in his past two starts, so it may be time to throw Dubnyk back in the cage as long as he feels ready. (UPDATE: Kahkonen was reassigned to Iowa on Monday, clearing the way for Dubnyk to play.)
“I feel good on the ice. It’s nice because it’s not like an injury,” he said. “If you’re coming back from an injury, it’s always like you’re thinking about it a little bit or maybe it takes a little bit to not be thinking about it. All you’re thinking about is to get healthy. I’ve felt good on the ice, so it’s one of those things that you get a few full practices in this week and then you’ve just got to play. It’s like the start of the season where it’ll take two or three minutes when you’re in the net to feel comfortable again.
“But I’ve played so many games that after a few minutes it’ll just feel like normal again.”
The elephant in the room, of course, is that the Wild are 9-2-3 since Dubnyk last played.
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While one may think that puts added pressure on Dubnyk to perform at a high level and not spoil a good thing, Dubnyk looks at it the other way.
In 14 games this season, Dubnyk is just 4-8-2 with an .835 save percentage. When he returns, he’ll join a team that’s been winning in his absence — which Dubnyk says will make his transition easier. (Stan Szeto / USA Today)“I think it takes the pressure away from feeling like I need to come flying back,” he said. “Obviously it’s been a tricky situation, but it’s been nice because when the guys are winning it’s not like everything’s just crumbling, you’re losing a bunch and you feel like there’s this added pressure to come back and play. You don’t have to come in and play in a game and then be out for four or five days because Alex (Stalock) and Kaapo (Kahkonen) and the guys have been so good.
“To be able to watch the guys win, I’ll be happy if they keep playing like this the rest of the year. I’ve always said if we’re winning it doesn’t matter who’s in the net, if it’s me or someone else. But you certainly want to make sure that when you get back you’re contributing to the good play that’s been going on.”
Coach Bruce Boudreau sure hopes so.
“He’s been our No. 1 since I got here and I don’t think just because his wife getting sick that he should lose that job,” Boudreau said. “I think if anything it’s going to put a little pressure on him to get back to where he should be or where we expect him to be at the same time. I think when he does get in that he’s going to be fine. He’s just got to get some practice time.”
The reality is, as Boudreau alluded, it was a tough start to the season for Dubnyk before his wife’s illness.
In 13 starts this season, Dubnyk is 4-8-2 with a 3.35 goals-against average and .893 save percentage. He has given up three goals three times and four or more goals six times. To put that in perspective, in Dubnyk’s first season with the Wild, he gave up more than three goals once in 39 starts. In his first 133 games with the Wild, he gave up more than three goals 10 times, and only nine times in 67 games during the 2015-16 season. It took until his 28th start in 2016-17 for Dubnyk to allow four goals for the first time.
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Could the month off provide perhaps a needed reset?
“I’m not sure,” he said. “The numbers don’t look great, the record doesn’t look great, but if you go back and look at the fact that the season started 0-5, the numbers are not going to change in a day or in one game. You just have to build on it, and I felt like it was going in that direction. We were starting to win games and I was starting to feel really good in there.
“And that’s kind of what you have to try to take from it. So maybe you have to look at it like we’re just wiping off the start of the season and starting from scratch here. As hard as it is sometimes you just have to try to keep it in perspective and understand that the numbers don’t look great, but we’re talking a 12-game span and you know it’s there and you know how you feel on the ice.
“The game hasn’t changed how I feel or play, so I’ve just got to get back to doing that and finding ways to win. We’ve been doing that here lately, and hopefully it keeps up and I get to be a part of that.”
(Top photo: Anne-Marie Sorvin / USA Today)
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