The fun part of the offseason continued as the Flyers keep finding themselves linked to numerous amounts of players. Looking for an upgrade on defense, it is no surprise to hear they could be in on more than one blue liner.
From Dougie Hamilton to Seth Jones, the Flyers have been linked to just about every name that has come out. There has even been some mention of them being a potential landing spot for Jack Eichel. While that is one of the more unlikely moves, there’s another name that has recently been mentioned as well.
In the latest edition of 31 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman tossed out this little note when he mentioned Philadelphia.
"“15. Philadelphia’s got a lot of balls in the air. I figured they’d be in on Hamilton, but, as mentioned above, he doesn’t appears to be their top target. I’m speculating here, but my guesses would include Seth Jones and Matt Dumba (who GM Chuck Fletcher knows very well). It also wouldn’t be a shocker if they have asked the Coyotes about 2019 first-rounder Victor Soderstrom. The Flyers liked him at that draft, and Arizona actually flipped picks with them to move up and take the Swedish defenceman.“"
We’ll keep the main focus on Dumba but the mention of Victor Soderstrom could be something to keep an eye on as well. He isn’t someone who would necessarily fill the Flyers’ current needs as he has only played four games at the NHL level. It wouldn’t be a flashy move, but would give them more right-handed depth in the organization.
But back to Matt Dumba. Now before we begin, Friedman mentions that he is guessing with this thought. Chuck Fletcher obviously has a connection to Dumba from his Minnesota days. But that is really the only thing that ties the two together.
Hamilton and Jones are the options that should be looked at first, but Dumba wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize to go after if all else fails. He brings cost-certainty and will come much cheaper than Hamilton. And with the rumors of Jones wanting to test free agency after his contract runs out, it might be hard to bank on him staying in Philadelphia if things went that way.
Dumba is locked in at 6M for the next two seasons. While a trade would still be the way to go, it will almost certainly cost less to obtain him than the other two. Minnesota is in the market for a center and the Flyers have a few directions they could do with that. If the rumors of Nolan Patrick looking for a trade are true, he could be someone that gets the ball rolling on a conversation.
A change of scenery could be just what he needs. The Flyers also have a prospect like Morgan Frost that could interest Minnesota as well.
So what could Dumba bring to the Flyers?
One has to admit that his numbers have declined the last two seasons. He had a career year back in the 2017-18 season where he posted 14 goals and 50 points. It was also the last time he played a full 82-game slate. A ruptured pectoral muscle slowed him down as he missed 50 games the following season.
So there was a bit of rust for him to knock off once he returned. He worked well on a pair with Jonas Brodin. Dumba is known as a more offensive-first defensemen while Brodin was more reliable in his own zone. That then brings a valid question of what happens when you separate the two. If you’re going to use Dumba to pair with Provorov, would their two styles end up meshing well together?
He is someone that can be used on both the power play and the penalty kill. He could also help take away some big minutes from Provorov. Dumba has averaged over 22 minutes of ice time the last four seasons. His possession metrics are average as he finds himself with a career 49.0 CF% at even strength.
Minnesota is in a precarious position with the expansion draft coming up. They have numerous players that they are forced to protect due to no-movement clauses. So there is a chance they would end up having to leave Dumba unprotected and risk losing him for nothing. A trade could be their only way to guarantee they get something in return.
Protecting Dumba would mean Minnesota may have to end up leaving a valuable player available for the taking. If the Flyers aren’t looking to spend the bank on Hamilton or give too much away for possible a rented Jones, Dumba could be someone they lay it on the line for.
What is known for sure is that the Flyers need to find a way to upgrade their defense. Losing Niskanen and being unable to find a true replacement for him was a big reason the defense was unable to find its footing. Finding something to stop the bleeding is an absolute necessity.