Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman Matt Dumba and a second round pick from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok. Dumba, 30, enters the last year of his contract at $3.75M per year. Kolyachonok, acquired off waivers by the Penguins last season, looks to secure a full-time spot on an NHL roster.
The move itself is mutually beneficial for both parties. The Stars, who are contending for the Stanley Cup, acquire salary cap flexibility and a depth defenseman. The Penguins, who are on the precipice of a rebuild, earn a veteran and a second-round pick. Dumba, a right shot defenseman joins fellow veterans Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang on the blue line.
How Trading for Dumba Helps the Penguins
While Dumba is the biggest name in the trade, the real prize is the second-round pick. The 2026 draft, headlined by generational talent Gavin McKenna, is positively loaded with talent. This move gives Dubas more flexibility in the draft, allowing him to snatch earlier-round talent in exchange for some cap flexibility.
To top it all off, Dumba comes to Pittsburgh with 737 games and 258 points under his belt. While he’s far removed from his career-high 50-point season in 2017-18, contending teams during the trade deadline may seek his service as a depth defender.
Dumba’s archetype – a physical, shoot-first defenseman – is coveted during the playoff season. If Dubas can parlay Dumba to a contender, there’s a strong chance he can net more in return.
Dumba Trade Opens Erik Karlsson Discussion
During an end-of-season press conference, Dubas had a few words to share about veteran defenseman Erik Karlsson: “Erik is and will forever be a polarizing figure..I had a long meeting with him… my push would be his actions have to match his ambitions. He showed throughout the year he has another level to him…He had moments of great play with too many inconsistencies. We have to push him to get here.”
With trade rumors abound and the Dumba deal secure, Karlsson looks to be the odd man out of this lineup. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic mentioned rumblings of a Karlsson trade. “I think the sweet spot for making Karlsson as attractive as possible would be to turn him into a $7.5 million player. That would set up a pretty aggressive market for him. But similarly, I sense that the Penguins won’t retain unless paid full value (asset-wise) for doing so.”
Karlsson, 35, has two years left on his contract, making $10M per year. “He’s an awesome, zero-maintenance person for us,” Dubas said at the end of last season. “Just comes, works, does his job, quietly and effectively,” Dubas said. “… We’ll look and see what’s available and how it fits our overall needs, and determine whether we can offer him that same opportunity again.”
The addition of Dumba suggests that Dubas isn’t done making moves yet. Several teams, including the Detroit Red Wings, look like good fits for Karlsson. The Penguins are looking to acquire as much draft capital as possible. Playoff bubble teams like the Red Wings could use all the help they can get from the blue line. The offseason has a ways to go, and, before then, a Karlsson trade – or even a second Dumba trade – could be possible.
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