A Matt Dumba contract is in place. The Arizona Coyotes have signed him for one season and with an AAV of $4 million. Mainly due to the Wilds’ cap crunch and the extension to Matt Boldy, the time to move on was evident.
Hearing Matt Dumba closing in with Arizona, one year at approximately $4M
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) August 6, 2023
Impact on the Wild
The Matt Dumba contract heavily indicates a shift in the Wilds upcoming season and how they are viewing their chances. They needed to make changes to prepare for the future. With letting him go, it hints at the later, since Dumba would have been a “free” rental for the playoffs. Dumba’s tenure with the Wild was coming to an end after the season, and Wild GM Bill Guerin clearly thought it would be best to get a return rather than let him go for free. Guerin surely hopes the return can help the Wild in the upcoming seasons.
Moving on from Dumba also allows for Calen Addison to potentially fill an even bigger role on the roster. Addison will more than likely move up the lineup to replace Dumba and get more minutes for the Wild. A good test for the youngster who has had his ups and downs in his rookie season. Now in a bigger role, he has the chance to show that he can fill out the shoes of Dumba and end his season on a high. .
How Matt Dumba Impacts Arizona
On this side of the Matt Dumba contract, the club gets a defenseman with a lot of offensive potentials. However, Dumba’s season hasn’t exactly gone to plan. Especially on the defensive side of the puck where he has been caught up ice numerous times this season. Combining the defensive issues with struggles to get on the scoresheet, a change of scenery seems needed for the former seventh-overall pick.
If Dumba can find his form, he could be a valuable asset as he is a physical presence with a heavy shot and good vision on the powerplay. He is also able to be a great person outside the ice, with a lot of experience and leadership from his time with the Wild. This also allows for Arizona to potentially resign the 29-year-old defender for the foreseeable future if the match works out.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
