NHL Rumors: Free agency updates on Toews, Dumba, Tarasenko
By Marci Rubin
NHL Rumors: Matt Dumba is still available despite plenty of interest
Since free agency opened, there has been plenty of interest in defenseman Matt Dumba, but he has yet to land a new home. The 28-year-old has spent his whole career with the Minnesota Wild up to this point. Unfortunately, the Wild were unable to re-sign him due to their salary cap crunch.
Unquestionably, Dumba is the best defenseman still on the market. Known as a very physical player, Dumba would bring heavy hitting to an organization’s blue line. Last season wasn’t his best, but he’s still a big defensive contributor.
Dumba has been linked to several teams during free agency, including the San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Arizona Coyotes. Elliotte Friedman reported that the Maple Leafs weren’t able to work out a salary with Dumba. He noted that the Sharks would need a defenseman if Erik Karlsson is traded. The Coyotes have pursued Dumba, believing his experience would benefit their roster.
It’s particularly surprising that Dumba is still on the market considering he was one of the top defensemen available this offseason. The other most notable defensemen have found their next contracts already. Dumba certainly has interest, but he could be holding out for a contender to make him a solid deal. It shouldn’t be too much longer before he lands his next contract, but the salary cap issues might mean he’ll get less than he’s hoping for.