Wade Dubielewicz

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Wade Dubielewicz
Wade Dubielewicz Bridgeport.jpg
Dubielewicz with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the 2006-07 season
Born (1979-01-30) January 30, 1979 (age 46)
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 178 lb (81 kg; 12 st 10 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for New York Islanders
Ak Bars Kazan
Columbus Blue Jackets
Minnesota Wild
Kölner Haie
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 20032012

Wade Roger Dubielewicz (born January 30, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 43 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 2003 and 2010 with three teams: the Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, and New York Islanders. The rest of his career, which lasted from 2003 to 2011, was spent mainly in the American Hockey League.

Contents

Following his retirement, he became a goaltending coach for the Columbia Valley Rockies of the KIJHL, where his junior ice hockey career began. [1]

Playing career

Junior

Dubielewicz played at the University of Denver and as a junior in 2001–2002 led his team to the NCAA tournament. He turned down a million-plus-dollar NHL offer to stay at Denver for his senior season and to finish his degree. Before signing with Denver, he played for the Junior A Fernie Ghostriders of the now-dormant RMJHL in Fernie, British Columbia. He played Junior B for the Columbia Valley Rockies of the KIJHL in Invermere, British Columbia, and then moved on to Trail of the BCHL in 1998–99, before ending his junior career the next year for the Chilliwack Chiefs.

Professional

After tending goal for four years at Denver, Dubielewicz was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Islanders on May 26, 2003. He joined the Islanders' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he became a fan favorite at the Arena at Harbor Yard, home of the Tigers. "Dubie" holds numerous AHL league records that still stand as of 2009. He holds the AHL/Sound Tigers records for most shutouts (15) and wins (81) in a career, and highest save percentage (.946) and goals against average (1.38) in a season (during the 2003–04 AHL season), passing the records of Rick DiPietro. Dubielewicz won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the top rookie in the AHL for 2003–04.

Dubielewicz made his first appearance of the 2006–2007 season for the New York Islanders on March 15, 2007, relieving Mike Dunham. In the regular season, he started the Islanders' final five games with a record of 4–1–0. On April 8, 2007, in the final game of the season against the New Jersey Devils, after Dubielewicz gave up a goal to John Madden with .7 seconds left in regulation, he rebounded to stop the Devils in the shootout of a 3–2 victory to send the Islanders into the postseason as the 8th seed, eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs from playoff contention. [2]

Dubielewicz made his post-season debut on April 12, 2007 on the road in game one of the Eastern Conference Quarter-finals against the Buffalo Sabres. He allowed four goals on 35 shots in a 4–1 loss, giving the Sabres a 1–0 series lead. His teammate Rick DiPietro would get the start in goal for game two, after recovering from an injury.

The Islanders re-signed Dubielewicz to a one-year contract worth $500,000 for the 2007–2008 season. After the season, on June 1, 2008, Newsday reported that Dubielewicz declined the two-way contract extension the Islanders had offered, as he believed that he'd be assigned to the AHL, as Joey MacDonald had a one-way deal. Dubielewicz had previously voiced a desire to remain an Islander and called himself "an Islander at heart". He signed instead with Ak Bars of the Kontinental Hockey League.

On December 30, 2008, Dubielewicz terminated his contract with Ak Bars by mutual agreement. In the previous month, he was often backing up the younger Stanislav Galimov. Wade left Ak Bars with a record of 11-8-3, a .892 save pct., and 2.77 GAA. After an injury to the Islanders' goaltender Joey MacDonald and with starting goalie Rick DiPietro sidelined, Dubielewicz re-signed with the Islanders on January 15, 2009, [3] but the Columbus Blue Jackets claimed him off re-entry waivers on January 17, 2009. Dubielewicz played the rest of the season for Columbus.

Dubielewicz became a free agent in July 2009 and he signed a contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 17. The Wild had two other goalies with NHL experience and he was signed to improve the depth at the position. [4]

Dubielewicz last played in Germany, having signed with the Kölner Haie on September 30, 2010. [5]

Coaching career

In 2012 Dubielewicz became coach of the Columbia Valley Rockies of the KIJHL. He became the general manager of the team in 2020.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLTOTLMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1993–94 Columbia Valley Rockies KIJHL
1994–95Columbia Valley RockiesKIJHL
1994–95 Cranbrook Colts RMJHL 16000.001.000
1995–96 Fernie Ghostriders RMJHL29129012818303.89.891
1996–97Fernie GhostridersRMJHL3416131184710333.35.909
1997–98 Trail Smoke Eaters BCHL 41222511803.18.888
1998–99 Trail Smoke EatersBCHL413.88.901
1998–99 Chilliwack Chiefs BCHL1410408344102.95.918
1999–00 University of Denver WCHA 133515962712.72.902
2000–01 University of DenverWCHA29129315425922.30.921
2001–02 University of DenverWCHA24204014314121.72.943
2002–03 University of DenverWCHA1998210604332.43.912
2003–04 New York Islanders NHL 2101105301.72.940
2003–04 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 33208519594591.38.9463211811103.64.880
2004–05 Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL4318231253911312.67.911
2005–06 New York IslandersNHL72303101502.90.897
2005–06 Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL4620212257513433.12.9107344351602.21.933
2006–07 New York IslandersNHL84103791302.06.93410159404.06.886
2006–07 Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL4022125240510822.69.923
2007–08 New York IslandersNHL2099111325102.70.919
2007–08 Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL2110124502.42.904
2008–09 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL31201691003.56.870
2008–09 Ak Bars Kazan KHL 21118312365702.77.892
2009–10 Minnesota Wild NHL3110101502.98.853
2009–10 Houston Aeros AHL321214115647102.72.895
2010–11 Kölner Haie DEL 122807224703.90.879
NHL totals4318161121969702.65.91410159404.06.886

Awards and honours

AwardYear
All-WCHA Second Team 2000–01
All-WCHA First Team 2001–02
AHCA West Second-Team All-American 2001–02
WCHA All-Tournament Team 2002 [6]
All-WCHA Second Team 2002–03
AHL All-Rookie Team 2004
AHL Second All-Star Team2004
AHL Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award 2004
AHL Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award 2004

References

  1. "Dubielewicz announced on coaching staff". Rockieshockey.ca. 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  2. New York Islanders - News: ISLANDERS 3, NEW JERSEY 2, SO - 04/08/2007
  3. "New York Islanders - Download the New York Islanders App!".
  4. "Wild find back-up with Dubielewicz". Sportsnet.ca. July 17, 2009. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  5. "Wade Dubielewicz NHL Player Page". NHL.com. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  6. "WCHA Tourney History". WCHA. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by WCHA Most Valuable Player in Tournament
2002
Succeeded by