Islanders fans should not worry about Matt Dumba be traded to the Penguins

Although the NHL offseason has slowed down, that does not mean teams are not still actively making moves. Until teams start reporting to training camp, general managers and front offices will leave no stone unturned in their efforts to improve their teams. The New York Islanders are one of these teams, focusing on filling out their depth.

However, the Islanders' rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, are not done with adding to their NHL roster. On Thursday afternoon, the Penguins acquired Matt Dumba and a 2028 second-round pick from the Dallas Stars for depth defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok. While this seems like a good move for the Penguins, this is something that Islanders fans should not think twice about.

Matt Dumba is nothing more than a name at this point of his career

At first glance, the Penguins seemed to land one of the better defensemen in the league. Dumba has been praised for his ability to play physical while also being a positive contributor on offense. Over his 12-year career in the league, he has scored 84 goals and accumulated 174 assists, totaling 258 points, along with 1,088 hits, 867 blocks, and 547 penalty minutes.

However, Dumba will be 31 on July 25th, and it appears that his best days are behind him. This past season, he appeared in 63 games, tallying one goal and nine assists for ten points, with 70 hits, 60 blocks, and 60 penalty minutes. The defense stats have stayed relatively near where they have been during his career, but his offensive numbers are the lowest of his career. It appears he's unable to do what he used to do best, making him a solid bottom-four defenseman but nothing more.

The second-round pick is the much more valuable asset in this trade. However, this draft pick is not until 2028. A player they could draft that year is currently 15 years old and just starting their junior hockey career. That player will not be making the league until 2030 at the earliest. The league will be so different at that point that it's not worth worrying about. Sure, that second-round pick could become a superstar who torments the Islanders. However, he has just as much of a chance of being a career AHLer.

This trade does make the Penguins better; however, it is not enough for them to be competitive. The whole reason they even got Dumba was for the second-round pick. The Penguins should continue to be a team at the bottom of the Metro division, hoping to win the lottery for Gavin McKenna. One less team for the Islanders to worry about as they try to make it back to the playoffs.