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Minnesota Wild: Four things they can be thankful for

By Luke Ryan

ST. PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 21: Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (24), center, smiles after scoring his 2nd goal in the 2nd period during the game between the Ottawa Senators and the Minnesota Wild on November 21, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 21: Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (24), center, smiles after scoring his 2nd goal in the 2nd period during the game between the Ottawa Senators and the Minnesota Wild on November 21, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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ST. PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 15: Matt Dumba #24 of the Minnesota Wild controls the puck during a game with the Vancouver Canucks at Xcel Energy Center on November 15, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN – NOVEMBER 15: Matt Dumba #24 of the Minnesota Wild controls the puck during a game with the Vancouver Canucks at Xcel Energy Center on November 15, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Minnesota Wild are lucky to have a young right-sided defenseman

Matt Dumba is definitely a player that the MInnesota Wild should be thankful for. As of the current moment, he is the league-leading defenseman in terms of goals scored.

His 10 goals is one ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Reilly and four ahead of the next best, Thomas Chabot of the Ottawa Senators.

His overall point-scoring ability places him 14th among the league’s defensemen, whilst his 24:04 average ice-time ranks him 20th in the league currently. All of that despite the fact he is just 24 years old.

When the Minnesota Wild drafted him in the first round (7th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, they’d have been hoping for such a development curve but there were no assurances that he’d pan out that way.

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In fact, it’d be fair to look at his statistics across previous years and expect maybe a 30 point per year player, at a stretch a 40 point guy.

This year, he’s looking firmly on-track to better his first 50 point campaign last year and almost certainly top his year-on-year best goal-scoring total; also last year with 14.

Such is the ability of Dumba that he is consistently floated in rumours in big one-for-one trades akin to that of Seth Jones or P.K. Subban; that’s pretty decent company to be holding.

When your name is floated by none other than the Toronto media in return for William Nylander, you know your stock has to be at least somewhat high!

Finally, the sheer fact he’s locked up at $6 million for 5 years may seem like a steal if he can continue his current form.

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