Minnesota Wild and Matt Dumba Agree on Two Year Deal

The Minnesota Wild and Matt Dumba agreed to a two year 5.1 million-dollar contract on Thursday. 

Dumba, who just turned 22 years-old on Monday, put up career highs in goals (10), assists (16) and game played (81) for the Wild during the 2015-2016 campaign. His 26 points were also a career high as well. 

He added six power play goals and 18 power play points, also career highs in the Regina, Saskatchewan native. Minnesota select Dumba, seventh overall in the 2012 National Hockey League Entry Draft. In 152 NHL games, over three seasons, he has scored 19 goals and 25 assists with a plus-9 rating for the Wild. 

Wild assistant general manager, Brent Flahr said, “We think he is going to be a point producing defenseman and we hope he keeps going and improving. We know he is going to get his day and hopefully, next time, it is a long term deal that keeps him in a Wild uniform for a long time.”

 

Both sides agreed that the bridge deal was in their best interests. Dumba will have the opportunity to build off of his success from last season as he strives for a more lucrative deal in the future. 

Four defensemen for Minnesota are inked to long-term deals, with three of them under the age of 27 (Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon and Marco Scandella). After signing Eric Staal and Chris Stewart to long-term deals on July 1^st, the Wild have very little room to maneuver under the salary cap. 

Dumba said, “A lot of guys are signing longer term deals and it is nice to have that security, but at the same time, it worked out for me to sign this bridge deal. I just want to grow as a player. Getting that opportunity to do so and prove myself over the next over the next couple of years, I think is huge. I think I will be at my peak at the end of that and hopefully then I can sign something long-term.”  

  

Dumba added that he is excited to work under the new coaching staff, led by Bruce Boudreau. Boudreau hired former New Jersey Devils captain and Hall of Fame defenseman, Scott Stevens, to run Minnesota’s defensive core. 

Dumba said, “He [Stevens] called me the other day. We did not talk too much about hockey, but both of us are excited. He likes my game and I loved his game growing up. I watched him closely. Just as much knowledge I can absorb from him, I am going to try and do my best. It is awesome having him here.”

Earlier this month, Stevens said that he was excited to work with and teach the defensemen in the Twin Cities. A group that includes, Ryan Suter, Brodin, Spurgeon and Scandella. Flahr noted that the signing of Dumba, helped to secure another piece to the Wild’s puzzle.  

He added, “Just in talking to [Stevens], he is real excited to get his hands on him to see if he can help. We have a young D-core and Scott is real excited to work with our group.”