Matt Dumba's Veteran Leadership Would Give Coyotes Playoff Potential Amid NHL Rumors

Matt Dumba is not a name that is going to wow anyone this offseason but the Arizona Coyotes have interest in signing the free agent defenseman and adding much-needed veteran experience to their otherwise young roster, per Olivier Neven of Yahoo Sports.

Dumba is not a player that lights up the goal post and his stat line is hardly the stuff of a star, but he is a solid defensive presence with 10 years of experience, all with Minnesota.

His numbers were down significantly in 2022-23 but two of the four goals he scored in 79 appearances with the Wild were game-winners, proving he had a knack for waiting until the moment was most significant to have an impact from a scoring perspective.

The Coyotes, for their youth and upside, ranked in the bottom-half of the NHL in goals against with 3.6 per game in 2022-23.

They are a team that could benefit from the depth and knowledge that Dumba brings to the ice, particularly after he helped Minnesota rank sixth in goals against with a full score less than Arizona.

That he will be affordable for his position given the fall off in stats from 2021-22 only helps enhance the Coyotes desire to bring him in.

Dumba is unlikely to crack a starting lineup that includes young players like Sean Durzi and JJ Moser, but his influence will be felt even in the tone he sets.

He notoriously delivered a rattling hit on Dallas' Joe Pavelski, just barely avoiding a major penalty despite the offensive star entering concussion protocol as a result.

No one advocates for player injury by any stretch. There is, though, value in setting a tone through physicality and Dumba has proven over time that is not something he is shy about establishing.

His ability to shift the feel of a game, a history of scoring game-winners and the experience in big-time situations like the postseason makes him a value pickup beyond the traditional stats.