PHILADELPHIA – Within three days last July, defenseman Matt Dumba signed a two-year extension with the Minnesota Wild worth $5.1 million, which will bridge him through restricted free agency, and celebrated his 22nd birthday. That stretch came two months after Dumba appeared in all 10 games during Canada’s gold-medal run at the 2016 IIHF World Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia, his first tournament with the national men’s team. “Not a bad summer,” he says, before quickly adjusting the report. “Really good summer.”
The 2016-17 season thus far has been more of a mixed bag for Dumba. Scheduled to get scratched by new coach Bruce Boudreau in Minnesota's fourth game, Dumba instead found himself a late lineup addition when Marco Scandella fell ill.