PHOENIX — The Arizona Coyotes confirmed Monday what had been widely reported, that former Wild defenseman and assistant captain Matt Dumba has inked a one-year deal with the team.
Team General Manager Bill Armstrong said Dumba is in the fold but wouldn't share terms in the deal. A source told the Associated Press that Dumba will receive $3.9 million.
"We are very pleased to have Matt join our organization," Armstrong said in a released statement. "He is a talented, reliable, physical defenseman who competes hard every night and will contribute offensively. He is also a great leader who will add a veteran presence to our blue line. We are very excited to have him on our team this season."
Dumba played 10 seasons with the Wild after being selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2012 NHL draft. He served as an alternate captain for the Wild the past two seasons, playing more of a shutdown role after injuries limited his offensive skills. The 29-year-old free agent notched a 50-point season while playing all 82 games in 2017-18, and has scored 20 points at least seven times.
In 2022-23 Dumba was limited to four goals and 14 assists in 79 games.
Dumba is expected to stabilize the Coyotes on the blue line and provide veteran leadership on a young team. He won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2019-20, an award given to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on-and-off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.
Long mentioned as trade bait during his time in Minnesota, Dumba became a lightning rod as his offensive numbers fell and his defensive lapses became more pronounced. He was benched for a pair of games last season, which seemed to serve as motivation during a strong second half. More than anything, Dumba's $6 million-per-season salary made his re-signing with the club all but impossible.
Arizona is becoming a landing spot for players with Minnesota ties. Both Nick Bjugstad and Jason Zucker signed with the Coyotes in the offseason, and former U of M phenom Logan Cooley recently reversed his decision to stay with the Gophers and signed an entry-level contract with the Coyotes instead.
In fact, Dumba says it was Bjugstad (returning for a second stint in Arizona) who played a big part in his signing with the Coyotes.
“Bjugy was texting me every other day and he caught me, put the clamps on me at one of the weddings we were at a couple of weeks ago, too,” said Dumba, who lives and trains in Arizona during the offseason. "He was always dropping it in my ear and it was awesome to see guys really enjoy Arizona, the coaching staff, the style of play that they're growing into.”
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