Matt Dumba Announces NHL Retirement After 13 Seasons

Matt Dumba has retired from the NHL after a 13-season career, ending his playing tenure with 748 games across five teams. The defenseman announced the decision through the NHL Players’ Association after a career defined by his years with the Minnesota Wild.

According to Sportsnet and the NHL Players’ Association announcement, Dumba recorded 85 goals and 176 assists for 261 points during his NHL career. He played for the Minnesota Wild, Arizona Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Dumba was selected by the Wild with the seventh overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, according to Pro Hockey Rumors. He became a regular NHL player with Minnesota during the 2013-14 season and spent the majority of his career there from 2013 through 2023.

During the 2017-18 season, Pro Hockey Rumors reported that Dumba posted 14 goals and 50 points in 82 games for Minnesota, averaging nearly 24 minutes of ice time per game. The Wild later signed him to a five-year contract extension.

The defenseman earned the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the 2019-20 season while with Minnesota, according to Sportsnet and TSN. The award recognized his charitable work and contributions beyond the rink.

Dumba’s final NHL season came with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he appeared in 11 games and produced one goal and two assists, according to Sportsnet and TribLIVE. He later played 27 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the American Hockey League, recording six goals and 14 assists.

Dumba was also involved in hockey inclusion efforts through the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which he helped form with current and former Black NHL players. TSN reported that the group’s mission was to:

"Eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey," said the Hockey Diversity Alliance.

After leaving Minnesota, Dumba continued his NHL career with Arizona, Tampa Bay, Dallas and Pittsburgh. His final NHL appearance came after a season in which he played a limited role with the Penguins.