Five Players to keep an eye on for the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline
By Jim Lynch
Matt Dumba
Matt Dumba is in the final year of his current contract on a team that is going to have some cap issues for the next few seasons as the Wild sit through the buyout penalty from Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. One player that could be a casualty of that cap issue is Matt Dumba.
Dumba was drafted seventh overall in 2012 by the Wild. He has spent his entire 526-game career with the team and has been one of the best offensive defensemen for several years.
During his best showing, he put up 50 points in 2017-18, and he scored a big goal for the Wild against the St. Louis Blues during their round one matchup last year.
Dumba probably is not someone the Wild would like to trade this deadline, but he is someone that could have to leave considering the cap uncertainty for the next few years. If the Wild can trade Dumba to a team outside of the Western Conference who are looking for some extra help on the back end then they could be in a better position to succeed down the line.
Dumba currently has two assists in seven games for the Wild, but last season he had 27 points in 57 games, so there is potential there for a team looking to add some more depth to their backend.