He's Coming!

Remember when I said that the Portland Winterhawks would be closer to full strength and potentially more?  Well, that potentially more is now a reality, as the Minnesota Wild sent Matthew Dumba down to juniors, which means he will be suiting up for the Portland Winterhawks for the remainder of the season.  Acquired prior to the holiday break from the Red Deer Rebels, the trade was seen as a gamble, as it was unknown whether Dumba would be sent down.  However, being inactive for the Wild games since November 23 and getting released for WJC duty were some signs that this trade would work out for the Winterhawks.

What does Dumba bring?  He brings an offensive element from the blue line that only fellow 2012 first round pick Derrick Pouliot can match.  He's also got the ability to play physical, something that seemed to be missing from the group since Seth Jones left for Nashville after being taken in the 2013 NHL Draft.  He does have a tendency to be overaggressive at times, something that will have to be curbed, but on the ice, he could be a difference maker on a team that could use one on the blue line.  His addition also takes some of the pressure off the younger players such as Layne Viveiros, Anton Cederholm, and Keoni Texeira.