NHL trade rumors: Matt Dumba on the trading block this offseason
According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the Minnesota Wild are trying to trade defenseman MattDumba.
The Minnesota Wild are in an interesting spot. They’re a team on the verge of rebuilding, but thanks to some ill-advised moves, they’re sort of retooling because they can’t really rebuild. The Wild are trying to get younger and better while still remaining competitive. According to the latest NHL trade rumors, one way they could do that is by trading 2020 King Clancy Trophy winner, defenseman Matt Dumba.
This report comes from Michael Russo of The Athletic, who is a pretty reliable source. He’s very much in tune with the hockey world and the Wild.
“I am hearing from a lot of sources that they are shopping Dumba”, Russo said in an episode of his podcast, The Russo Hockey Show. You can find the discussion about Dumba around the 39:00 mark of the hour-long show.
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Dumba is no stranger to trade rumors. He’s reportedly been on the block for a while now. However, the Wild haven’t been able to get the kind of offer they want for him. The upcoming expansion draft in 2021, though, could force their hand.
Much like the Vegas expansion draft in 2017, teams will be allowed to protect either three defensemen and seven forwards or eight total skaters if they want to protect more than three defensmen.
Because both Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon have full no-movement clauses, they’ll need to waive those in order to be exposed in the expansion draft. If the Wild want to protect three defensemen, this leaves them with just one open spot. The spot will likely go to either Dumba or Jonas Brodin.
Among the forwards, both Mats Zuccarello and Zach Parise have no-movement clauses, so they have to be protected. One can assume they want to protect Kevin Fiala as well. Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Luke Kunin are guys the Wild probably don’t want to lose. We’re already up to six forwards, so protecting four defensemen is likely not the route the Wild will choose.
If the Wild expose either Dumba or Brodin, the Seattle Kraken will most likely choose them because whoever’s left exposed will be the most enticing option for the new expansion team. After the Golden Knights took advantage of them in 2017, I can’t imagine the Wild want history to repeat itself next year.
The best choice for the Wild is to trade either Brodin or Dumba this offseason. Then at least they’ll get something for one of them now rather than likely lose one of them in a year for nothing. Between Dumba and Brodin, Dumba appears to be the more likely to be traded because he has more value since Brodin will be a free agent after the 2020-21 season.
Here’s how things will probably play out. The Minnesota Wild will see how much it will take to extend Brodin. If the price is too high, he’ll be the odd man out. But if the Wild can get Brodin signed to an extension, Dumba will be the one who gets traded.
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Don’t expect things to move too quickly. The Wild have time to figure out what to do here. They’re in no rush and they shouldn’t accept anything less than a strong offer for either Dumba or Brodin. If they sign Brodin to an extension though, you should assume they’re trading Dumba at some point before the 2021 expansion draft.