Rumour: Trade brewing between Wild and Jets with Dumba in the mix?

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is quite busy making moves lately, announcing the team will not resign captain Mikko Koivu, trading away veteran Eric Staal and acquiring Marcus Johansson, after adding Nick Bjugstad to his roster. And while he’s been quite active, there is no signs pointing to him slowing down, especially with the latest rumour from insider Pierre LeBrun. 

The Wild re-signed defenseman Jonas Brodin to a seven-year, $42-million contract extension and it appears to push blue liner Matt Dumba out the door. LeBrun therefore believes the Winnipeg Jets have interest in Dumba but do not have the top-six centre the Wild are looking for as a return. Instead, he wonders whether the Jets could offer winger Nikolaj Ehlers in exchange for Dumba, pointing out that the two have identical $6 million cap hits.

Ehlers’ name has been mentioned more than once in trade chatter, even more so since the Jets have been eliminated from the postseason during the qualifying round against the Calgary Flames. He had 25 goals and 58 points in 71 games this season. The 24-year-old added two goals in four games during the Return to Play.

Ehlers is signed through 2024-25, while Dumba is under contract until 2023, but that might not stop both Guerin and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff from looking more seriously into this potential deal. 

More teams have been said to have interest in Dumba: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Thursday that the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs could be willing to pull the trigger as well on a deal involving the defenseman. 

“The most obvious interest (to me, anyways) would come from Winnipeg. The Jets are screaming for a right-shot defender. He fits their mold: cost-controlled with term. But barring the involvement of another team, they can’t do it for a centre. Would Minnesota be tempted by a skilled winger, instead? Same with Vancouver. Dumba fits the idea of what the Canucks are looking for, but, again, a centre in return would not be an option and I’m not convinced they want to do a Brock Boeser deal.

Calgary could do it. When Paul Fenton was Minnesota’s GM, he pursued William Nylanderhard (this was before Nylander signed), but the Maple Leafs weren’t inclined to do it then, and I’m not convinced that’s changed.”

Both LeBrun and Friedman believe the Jets are the frontrunners for Dumba. A deal could come soon…