Coyotes defenseman Matt Dumba is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury, per the team. The 29-year-old did not play the second and third periods of Monday’s 5-2 win over the Penguins, although it’s unclear when he suffered the injury during the first period.
He did not accompany the team on their three-game road trip through the southeastern United States, and he will remain out through the All-Star break at the least, according to PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan.
It’s not all bad news on the injury front for Arizona. Per Morgan, forward Nick Schmaltz will return tonight against the Panthers after missing three games with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old had points in six of his last eight games before exiting the lineup.
This is another dent in what’s been a trying season for Dumba in the desert. The 600-game veteran is still shouldering significant ice time, logging just over 20 minutes per game, but has just two goals and five points in 44 contests while posting some of the worst possession numbers on the team. He’s with Arizona by way of a one-year, $3.9M contract signed in free agency last August.
While he won’t draw in tonight, per Morgan, the open spot in the lineup should provide some opportunity for 2019 11th-overall pick Victor Söderström. The 22-year-old Swede hasn’t appeared in an NHL game yet this season but has taken strides forward with AHL Tucson, leading their defensemen with 13 assists and 21 points in 38 games.
The team recalled him this week in the wake of a long-term injury to another depth defenseman, Troy Stecher.
The Coyotes have kept pace in the Western Conference playoff race, sitting slimly ahead of the Predators for the second wild-card spot by points percentage after their win over Pittsburgh earlier in the week.
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