The Wild has invited 2012 first-round pick Matt Dumba to training camp, General Manager Chuck Fletcher. While it's uncertain right now when training camp will be, Dumba will most likely leave WHL Red Deer and arrive in the Twin Cities by Friday.
The hard-hitting defenseman is fifth on the Rebels with 23 points (10 goals) in 41 games after scoring 57 points in 69 games a year ago. He had a slow start to the season, but the Rebels made an assistant coaching change and he's apparently been improved since. He was cut from Canada's world junior selection camp last month.
Dumba signed a three-year deal in July and here is the story I wrote the night he was drafted last June in Pittsburgh.
I'll talk to the team more about this Tuesday. The Wild is thin on defense right now with Marco Scandella hurt. It signed veteran Paul Mara to an AHL deal today, so we'll see if that ever turns into an NHL deal. My guess is that Dumba will be here for the experience (to give him a taste) and eventually wind up back in Red Deer, but we will see. The Wild says it's set no limits for Dumba.
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Apologies for postponing today's chat. It will now be Tuesday at 1 p.m. on startribune.com/wild. Please join.
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I have gotten a lot of questions about Jason Zucker, Charlie Coyle, etc., and the chance of them making the team right out of camp. Barring injuries or trades in camp, it's unlikely. Just take a look at the depth chart and it's very clear there's no obvious open spots if Pierre-Marc Bouchard is ready. And he hopes to be. Mikael Granlund is expected to land the one open spot at second-line center.
