Flames should consider signing Calgary local Matt Dumba

While most big-name players in the free agent market are now signed, one that remains up for grabs is Matt Dumba.

The 28-year-old is coming off of a six-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million. While Dumba remains a very talented player, inconsistencies have resulted in the market value being much lower for him than he likely would have ever imagined.

With how long he has been forced to wait, he will be forced into signing a relatively inexpensive deal that could be a bargain. That could make him an excellent fit for the Calgary Flames.

There is a ton of uncertainty surrounding the Flames right now, as several players are entering the final year of their contracts, including Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, Dennis Gilbert, and even the recently signed Jordan Oesterle.

Given his trade request, it is believed that Hanifin will be moved at some point before the deadline, if not this summer. Zadorov has had his name brought up in several rumours as well. On top of that, a defenceman they have relied on in a depth role for several years, Michael Stone, recently announced his retirement.

With several players being potentially shipped out on the back end, signing Dumba to a cheap contract would make plenty of sense for the Flames. He has shown the ability in the past to put up offence and provides plenty of physicality. He also happened to grow up in Calgary, which should have him very enticed to join the Flames.

Despite his inconsistencies, Dumba was heavily relied on during his time with the Wild. He averaged north of 20 minutes in ice time in each of his past seven seasons, including the 2017-18 campaign, in which he averaged a career-high 23:49 per game.

Though many fans would prefer to strip this entire Flames roster down and start from scratch, ownership appears unwilling to enter a rebuild. Bringing in Dumba on a cheap deal and moving some other players who seem reluctant to sign extensions would provide cap space and keep the team competitive while helping build toward the future. At the very least, it’s a signing worth considering for general manager Craig Conroy.

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