In wake of injury, Dumba focuses on supporting teammates while recovering

ST. PAUL -- Even more than a month later, it took a concerted effort for Matt Dumba to keep his cool while discussing a fight that may or may not have ended his season.
"It is frustrating," the Wild defenseman told reporters Friday, standing in front of his TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center locker with his right arm in a heavy, black brace. "Like even when I'm talking about it right now, I'm just getting caught up in the emotion of it. Everything about it sucks."

In his first public comments since sustaining a ruptured right pectoralis muscle last month, Dumba recounted the events that led to his Dec. 26 surgery and said "it's hard to say" whether he'll be back this season or not. At the time of his operation, he was expected to miss a minimum of three months and said Friday his arm will be immobilized for at least two more weeks.

The 24-year-old said he sustained the injury while throwing a "wild punch that didn't connect" during a fight with Calgary's Mathew Tkachuk on Dec. 15. Sitting in the penalty box afterward, Dumba originally thought a brace and some Tylenol would be all he'd need to return to action.
But when team staff took a closer look, "it was basically a no go," Dumba said.
Tkachuk dropped the mitts with Dumba 40 seconds in in retaliation for a hit Dumba delivered Dec. 6 at Calgary, injuring forward Mikael Backlund. Dumba didn't receive a penalty or any discipline from the NHL.
"I'd expected it," Dumba said. "I can't hold any hard feelings for it. I knew I was going to fight that night; it's nothing I've ever shied away from before. I have a number of fights from throughout my NHL career, so it's not like it's anything out of the norm. I guess when I sit back and look at it, you can kind of scratch your head and wonder. I think I paid. It wasn't really warranted. It was a clean hit, nothing from the NHL, no penalty on the play."
Perhaps most disappointing was the season Dumba was having before the injury. Taking and connecting on more shots, he led NHL defensemen with 12 goals. His 22 points and 23:23 average ice time in 32 games were second among Wild defenseman to Ryan Suter.
"No one stole this from me," said, Dumba, who signed a five-year, $30 million contract during the offseason. "It's just what happened. You have to deal with it and live with it. If you get caught up in what could've been, it leads to just you being sad and depressed during this whole thing. I'm not about to do that. I'll be back eventually, whether it's this year or next. I'll do the same thing. I'm not worried."
In the meantime, Dumba has been at the rink daily to rehab and see his teammates at morning skates and practices. He's taken to tweeting support for his comrades while watching games and wishing he could help Minnesota put together a coveted win streak.
He also watched friend and former roommate Nino Niederreiter get traded to Carolina Thursday in exchange for Victor Rask.

As far as a timetable for his return, Dumba said he and the team should know more in the next couple of weeks. Neither Dumba nor coach Bruce Boudreau expressed concern about Dumba's ability to come back as good or better than he was before the Tkachuk fight.
It's just a matter of when.
"He's going to be fine," Boudreau said. "Every year, he's gotten better. Even if he's only played 30 games, I assume he's going to be better the next time he steps on the ice than the last time. It obviously might take a little bit to get back to game shape and all of that stuff, but he's going to be fine when he comes back."
Said Dumba: "It is frustrating, but I've come down to the fact that I can't do anything about it right now. I can help my teammates by just being positive, the guy that I always am in the locker room, just kind of give them feedback from what I'm seeing from a coaching standpoint, I guess. I'm not saying I'm a coach or anything, but I think it's good just being here around the guys and able to talk to them."
Related:
- Dumba helps send local 12U girls player to international tournament - Dumba undergoes surgery