NHL Trade: Dallas Stars Trade Matt Dumba To Eastern Conference Team

The Dallas Stars had been looking to move out some money, and defenseman Matt Dumba had been a prime candidate. They've successfully pulled that off, sending Dumba and his $3.75 million cap hit for next season, along with a second-round pick in 2028 to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins have acquired defenseman Matt Dumba and a 2028 second-round draft pick from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok.

Details: https://t.co/PnehxGBkBI pic.twitter.com/pTzTwxqluL
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 10, 2025

In exchange, the Stars receive Vladislav Kolyachonok. But the real key in the whole thing for the Pens was the draft pick.

What this also means is that the Penguins are clearly up to something, as Dumba joins Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang and Connor Clifton to give them four right-side blueliners all earning in excess of $3 million (obviously well in excess of that, in the cases of Karlsson and Letang).

This gives rise to speculation that there are more moves to come for GM Kyle Dubas.

If the Dumba trade goes through (no confirmation yet), the #LetsGoPens currently have four NHL-established right-side d-men on their roster in Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Connor Clifton, and Dumba.

They also have a boatload of bottom-pair left-siders.

Something's gotta give.
— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) July 10, 2025

As beat writer Kelsey Surmacz notes, "something's gotta give."

Of course, a trade of Erik Karlsson is the most likely scenario, as this has been heavily rumored in recent days.

In 737 NHL games over 12 seasons, Dumba, 30, has 84 goals and 174 assists for 258 points with 867 blocked shots and 1,088 hits. His best season came in 2017-18 when he had 50 points and a plus-15 rating for the Minnesota Wild, the team he spent 10 seasons with.

Kolyachonok, 24, hasn't really earned a full-time role yet in the NHL, last year playing just 35 games combined with Pittsburgh and Utah, averaging 13 minutes of ice time and recording seven points. He was claimed off waivers by the Pens from Utah back in February. He's a former second-round pick in the 2019 Draft.