Devan Dubnyk Reflects on Time with the Kamloops Blazers

By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X

For Devan Dubnyk, stepping into the Kamloops Blazers dressing room for the first time in 2001-02 was a moment that blended wonder, nerves and excitement.
“I remember my dad taking me on a walk a few weeks before the WHL Draft. I had no clue there even was one,” Dubnyk recalled with a laugh. “He explained the whole process to me, and soon after, I started getting congratulations from coaches. It was all super exciting.”

Though a Calgary native, Dubnyk was no stranger to Western Hockey League games, having caught his fair share of Calgary Hitmen contests. Still, being drafted and heading to training camp in Kamloops felt like entering another world. “That time of year, Kamloops is just beautiful. Coming from Alberta, getting to camp felt like something magical. It was like, ‘Okay, this is real now.’”

That realism hit hard during his first taste of WHL action as a 15-year-old. After being called up for a game in Portland due to an injury to then-starting goaltender Steve Belanger. Dubnyk found himself in the thick of it. “I flew in last-minute, barely got through warmup, and then got thrown into the game. It was a total shock. I went from AAA to the WHL just like that.”

His welcome to the WHL moment? A slash to the legs of a veteran screening him in front. “He turned around with a full beard and stared me down, saying if I touched him again, he would kill me. That was my ‘Welcome to the WHL’ moment for sure.”

Dubnyk’s early experiences were a whirlwind—bouncing back and forth from Calgary to Kamloops, juggling school, practices, and games. But it laid the groundwork for the goalie he would become. “That year taught me how to grow up quick. It really gets you ready for being a full-time guy at 16.”

One of his most memorable early games came in Seattle. “It was 0-0, I was on the bench watching a line brawl, thinking how cool it was, and then suddenly I was told to get in. I wasn’t ready at all, barely had my gear on. But we ended up winning 5-2. That was my first WHL win.”

The Kamloops fan base left a lasting impression, too. “It was special playing in front of 5,000 people every night. That kind of environment really helps you develop—it makes you care more and play with urgency.”

Dubnyk also reflected on the energy a packed building brings compared to playing in near-empty rinks at the pro level. “You can’t fake the adrenaline you get from a big crowd. In places like Arizona or Edmonton during the down years, or early Carolina days—those empty arenas made it hard to bring that intensity. You have to create your own momentum.”

Of course, no junior hockey career is complete without a little chaos. For Dubnyk, that included a line brawl against the Regina Pats. “We were down 4-1, and I’d played basically every game that season. I remember thinking, ‘I don’t even want to be in this game anymore.’ Then Ryan Bender just destroyed someone, and everything popped off.”

He chuckled, remembering his own fight during the chaos, fighting former Blazer netminder David Reekie. “It wasn’t much, more of a ‘we’re tired, let’s just go’ kind of fight. But I remember thinking, ‘This is my chance. I have to get a fight in before my WHL career ends.”

When asked to pinpoint the most memorable moment in a Blazers jersey, Dubnyk hesitated, rattling off a few options. One stood out—a single-game performance against Kelowna. “We lost to Lethbridge the night before, and my Dad, who was a goalie—randomly chirped me, saying I wasn’t working hard. That lit a fire. I went out the next night and stopped 67 shots. That was probably my best WHL game and was a record for years to come.”

Throughout his five years in Kamloops, Dubnyk put together an 83-87-14 record to go with 15 shutouts. Dubnyk’s 15 shutouts remain a record for the Blazers, he also sits second all time for most shutouts in a single Blazers season with six.

Dubnyk’s path also included a role as backup to Justin Pogge at the World Juniors—a bittersweet experience. “I felt like I’d earned a better shot, especially after a strong summer camp and solid first half of the season. But Pogge was already pencilled in. When he had a tough game against Switzerland, I hoped for a chance, but then it was the U.S. next, and they went with him again.”

Still, those experiences shaped Dubnyk. They hardened him. They matured him. And above all, they confirmed one thing: he was ready for the National Hockey League. Dubnyk would go on to play in 542 NHL games, posting a 253-206-54 record with a 2.61 GAA and a .914 save percentage and 33 shutouts.