The Minnesota Wild announced that defenseman Mathew Dumba is sidelined until after the Christmas break, potentially longer, with an upper-body injury.
Significant loss: Matt Dumba, the NHL's top goal-scoring defenseman, is sidelined for the #mnwild https://t.co/vJMR9tnZMK
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 17, 2018
Mathew Dumba Injured
Dumba was injured in a play against the Calgary Flames, sustaining an upper-body injury. Dumba did not return to the game.
So far this season, Matt Dumba has scored 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points to go along with 21 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 50.9 percent Corsi at even strength and a relative Corsi of 2.2.
Over his 6-year NHL career, Dumba has only played for the Wild. He has 56 goals and 94 assists for 150 career points in 342 career games. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 1st round, 7th overall in the 2012 NHL draft.
What This Means for the Future
This is a major hit to the Wild, as Matt Dumba is an integral part of their team. Dumba is leading all NHL defenseman in goals with 12 in 32 games. The Wild are currently one place out of a playoff spot behind the Edmonton Oilers, who have 39 points in 34 games, and the Wild are sitting just three points back of them at 36 with two games in hand. The loss of a top pairing defenseman can greatly impact their playoff push. This means Jared Spurgeon will likely step up to the first line pairing with Ryan Suter. The Wild’s having incredible depth at defense will likely help cover for the injury for the time being.
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