Matt Dumba, trade him, keep him, should have exposed him to Vegas, love him, hate him, all have been said at one time or another about the 23 year Wild defenseman.
The one thing you can't argue with is the fact that the man has some serious talent, and it is going to translate into a fairly significant raise come this off season when he is due to become a RFA.
The purists absolutely don't like Dumba, and often are the ones that wish that he would either be moved to offense or just focus on his defense more. That is one school of thought, and to be honest it is a very near sighted view and very unrealistic.
Matt Dumba has exceptional skill, and his on ice vision make him a very valuable asset in todays NHL. The game is all about speed and puck possession and having a defenseman that has the ability to control the puck and skate like Dumba is a luxury not many teams have.
Yes, he does create the odd turnover, but that has diminished considerably with his maturity, and he is just now beginning to scratch the surface of his true offensive potential. His goal production has increased each of his four seasons, going from 8, to 10, to 11 last year and is on pace to shatter those totals this season with 9 already this season.
The most notable fact about Dumba's 9 goals this season is that he has yet to tally a single goal on the powerplay. Coming into the year Dumba had 30 NHL goals, with half of those coming with the man advantage. This season has been far different as and Dumba's game has been elevated to a new level.
So love him or not, Matt Dumba is a real asset to the Wild and his game is only going to get better as he begins to hit his prime. Dumba is going to be paid very well, and is very deserving of the money he will command.
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