Matt Dumba talks openly about a trade this season

Another campaign, another season on the trade block for Matt Dumba.

The 28 year old Minnesota Wild defenseman is in the final year of a contract that pays him $6 million annually and he admits that he's heard the trade chatter. It's nothing new for him and he's not worried about it.

“If I worried about that, I’d probably be in a shell hiding somewhere,” Dumba said to Michael Russo from The Athletic. “I’ve heard about the numbers. I’ve heard about the cap space. Every year of my career, I’ve been on the (trading) block.”

The Wild are in a cap crunch and there's speculation that Dumba could finally be on the chopping block, but if he is GM Bill Guerin isn't telling anyone.

“We haven’t really talked,” Guerin told The Athletic on Saturday. “It’s not something I think we really need to be distracted with right now. Matt’s a big boy. I am, too. We both know our situation, but I think the most important thing is Matt has a clear head going into this year and just plays with no stress. I can’t say that we’re going to start talking or get a deal done.

“We, as an organization, are in a unique spot with our cap space situation, so it’s hard to do certain things. But you never know.”

Despite the rumors, neither Guerin nor Dumba are concerned about Dumba's ability to put it all aside and put together a solid season.

“Me and Billy, we’ve got a good relationship. Very open, honest,” Dumba said. “We haven’t put too much emphasis on it. Chips are going to fall as they may, and I’m going to do everything in my power to be the best player, best leader I can be on this squad. If I do that, I think everything will get worked out, and that’s my goal.

“But I have to do that. I have to step up, and the added pressure and whatnot … I always put pressure on myself. So that’s nothing new. I’m not trying to do more than I’m capable of, by any means. I’m just focused and committed to doing what I need to do for this team.”