From the Star-Tribune’s Mike Russo, on his weekly podcast:
“To get Drouin, it would probably cost Matt Dumba. That’s what I’m being told. That is who the Lightning want -- and the Wild, if they haven’t already agreed to that being the price, [are] definitely considering that.
“The problem is you don’t know what everybody else is offering. They Wild thought they had a great chance at [Ryan] Johansen, but then all of a sudden, the second Seth Jones was the name that swooped in, Columbus was making that move.
“It’s very clear right now that [Wild GM] Chuck Fletcher is trying to give this team a shot in the arm. They’re bland on the ice.”
Some notes:
-- Russo later confirmed what Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wrote in his latest 30 Thoughts: Minnesota did dangle Jonas Brodin to Columbus for a possible Johansen deal.
-- Russo went on to add that, given the Wild’s depth on defense (Brodin, Dumba, Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, Marco Scandella, Mike Reilly, Louie Belpedio), Fletcher is able to trade from a position of strength, which is why Dumba’s on the table.
-- Dumba checks all the boxes for what Bolts GM Steve Yzerman reportedly wants. The seventh overall pick in 2012, he’s a talented, offensively capable, right-handed defenseman (much like St. Louis’ Kevin Shattenkirk, who’s also been linked to Drouin).
-- But the big difference between Shattenkirk and Dumba is that Dumba, 21, is younger and still on his entry-level deal, which means Tampa Bay would have more control over his contract situation.
From 30 Thoughts:
Here’s what I understand Lightning GM Steve Yzerman is looking for: a young player who is under team control for some time. He has enough contractual concerns over the next few years that he doesn’t need any more.
He can’t take on money without sending it back. (Some other execs speculated he might try to package Matt Carle with Drouin.) That’s why, as good as Kevin Shattenkirk is, it’s not an easy fit for Tampa, because he’s going to get paid big-time in 2017 and you can’t extend him until July 1 at the earliest, assuming he is even willing to sign.
-- Dumba’s in the last of his three-year ELC with an average annual cap hit of $894,166. It’s basically on par with Drouin’s financials, though Drouin has one year left on his contract.