The Minnesota Wild got Matt Dumba back in the lineup on Saturday, his first game in the month of February. He played more than 22 minutes, added his usual three hits and blocked two shots. Unfortunately for Dumba and the Wild, he isn’t going to be doing any of that in Monday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. He has already been ruled out with a lower-body injury, with Dakota Mermis recalled to take his spot.
Michael Russo of The Athletic is hearing that Dumba will miss a few weeks, and with Calen Addison also dealing with an injury at the moment, the Wild don’t have the ready-made replacement they usually do. Mermis, 28, has played just 25 games in his NHL career, including just two this season for the Wild.
It's a tough blow for the Wild, who have dealt with their fair share this season. Only Kevin Fiala and Ryan Hartman have played in every game this season, with almost every other key name missing more than a handful of matchups. At times, Minnesota has been dealing with as many as eight regulars out of the lineup but continues to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference. The Wild have won eight of their last 10 and are 29-11-3 on the season, which unfortunately is good enough for only second place in the Central Division – 11 points behind the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche.
While Dumba is not the most important defender on the Wild, he’s still a rock-solid top-four option who logs nearly 24 minutes a night. In 40 games this season, he’s already recorded 20 points and he is without a doubt the most physical defenseman on the Wild. There have been trade rumors following the 27-year-old seemingly for his whole career, and those likely won’t stop in the next year if an extension isn’t worked out. Dumba is signed through 2022-23 at a $6 million cap hit but will be an unrestricted free agent afterward; with the Wild’s incoming cap issues, an extension will be difficult to fit in.
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