Whilst the Minnesota Wild aren’t quite getting the same point scoring from Matt Dumba this season, they’re seeing a continuation of the hits he was laying in their playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets last year.
This season, he peaked on opening night with seven hits against the Colorado Avalanche, but has averaged three or four hits most games since.
Last season, he was a revelation, breaking out as a point scoring right-handed defenseman with 14 goals and 36 assists to finish the year with 50 points. His previous best season with the Minnesota Wild prior was 34 points the previous season.
This season, Matt Dumba has been held to 5 points in his 11 appearances; 3 goals and 2 assists. The past three games though haven’t been kind, with no points.
To some extent, you could argue that Matt Dumba is taking out the frustrations of a pointless streak with his increased hitting. Alexander Kerfoot of the Colorado Avalanche, I’m sure can speak to the physicality that Dumba is displaying for the Minnesota Wild.
BOOM. #COLvsMIN pic.twitter.com/zrY6gRIIXk
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 28, 2018
Matt Dumba lowered the bar big time and dropped the young Avalanche player to the ice in a way that certainly didn’t please many in the Colorado fan base. It did, however, give plenty of energy to those in the Minnesota Wild’s home arena on the night.
Kerfoot just leveled for the second time this game, this time hit thrown by Dumba.
— Jessi Pierce (@jessi_pierce) October 28, 2018
Fans on their feet for the hit, and then for more solid play by the Wild.
Energy felt inside the X right now.
Needless to say, his hitting was enough to upset the opposition and enough to please the Minnesota Wild!
The biggest challenge will be to maintain the level of physicality without risking injury to himself, that and ensuring he doesn’t pick up penalties as a result of the physical play.
If he can manage that and hopefully shake his three game streak of no points, then we’re going to have another season that possibly betters even last year’s performance.
Hitting is part of the game that may be less key these days than years gone by, but fact is it can still change the momentum of a game.
That and it can scare the opposition’s skill players away from making the sorts of plays that make them dangerous.
Looking at his ice-time, he is now truly edging towards the sort of time that elite level players get in the NHL. Most games it’s 24-plus minutes ice-time each night; maybe we weren’t so crazy to suggest he’s bordering on elite!
Hopefully Matt Dumba is ready for the Edmonton Oilers as the Minnesota Wild head into their arena. Maybe Connor McDavid is next on his list!