|
MNWild: Dumba Officially Begins Professional Career Tonight in Carolina |
|
|
|
|
|
MNWild: Dumba Officially Begins Professional Career Tonight in Carolina
Well hello I am checking in from downtown New Orleans before I go out tonight and engage in the debauchery and tomfoolry. I just saw Per Michael Russo of the Startribune, that Mathew Dumba will be in the lineup this evening in Carolina making it his 10th game played this season. Tonight's game will activate the first season of his entry level deal and essentially end his Canadian Juniors career with the Red Deer Rebels. Dumba has had moments where his talent has shined through in his previous 9 appearances this season but he has looked very much like a 19 year old kid gun shy and worried that he will let his team down by not being where he is suppossed to be. The 10th game being such a determining factor in his short term future, it will be interesting to see if Dumba plays with more confidence or maybe less tenatively considering the Wild has at the very least committed to him for longer than a tryout stretch.
The reason Dumba is so highly thought of and highly anticipated by Wild fans and hockey fans in general is his ability to create instant excitement with his open ice brutality and end to end offensive ability. Somehow the Wild needs to break the young defensemen out of his shell because his ability to punish defenders and create offense is what could push this team from the bottom of the Western Conference playoff seeding to the top.
I think we all fall victim to the urge to compare highly touted prospects to current NHL susperstar with regard to what type of player the youngster could become. With regard to Dumba that player comparison has been to Montreal's PK Subban who won the Norris Trophy last season. Obviously Minnesota Wild fans are spoiled given how amazing the transition was for a 19 year old Jonas Brodin last season but I dont believe it unreasonable for Dumba to be find himself contributing at the NHL level this season. The Wild has traditionally been a very calculated and cautious organization with their prospect under the watch of general manager Chuck Fletcher but the reality of the current state of affairs in the NHL is that defensemen are the premium and the value is super inflated as has been proven at the trade deadline and in free agency.
The decision to accelerate the development in the careers of Brodin and now Dumba has been a very risk versus reward process that I am sure Fletcher has been evaluating every moment of the past 2 seasons. I have been in agreement with Russo on the idea that Nate Prosser would be claimed on waivers if Fletcher had been forced to come up with a roster spot. Having 8 defensemen on the roster has proven to be very valuable to the Wild with several injuries costing defensmen multiple games. I also agree with an idea I saw in the comment section of Brad Ratgen's last blog that presented the idea of Dumba being loaned out for World Championships.
I think despite the stumbles early on here for Dumba, now is the right time for him to begin his professional career. Fletcher and his assistant general manager Brent Flahr have this kid's future in good hands now and they will make sure he gets a spot on team Canada for the Worlds to go prove himself against the best young players in the world. Dumba should return ready to be yet another young gun that has been battle tested in international play looking to make his mark on the NHL.
Just My Take,
Tony Dean
@AWKD
Minnesota Wild Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»