Despite getting a week off for the NHL All-Star break, Matt Dumba is not ready to rejoin the team after suffering an upper-body injury during in a win over the New York Islanders on Jan. 30.
The Wild placed Dumba and forward Nick Bjugstad (upper body) on injured reserve Monday, replacing them with call-ups from the Iowa Wild, Mitchell Chaffee and Kevin Czuczman.
Specifics about Dumba’s injury haven’t been provided, but head coach Dean Evason confirmed last week that he was injured during a first-period fight with Anders Lee, the Islanders winger who was a standout football and hockey star at Edina High School.
The fight started after the two were battling for a puck in front of the Wild bench. Lee cross-checked Dumba a couple of times before Dumba ripped off Lee’s helmet. Lee retaliated with some punches and a takedown.
Dumba didn’t come out of the game and wound up playing close to 24 minutes, but he missed Minnesota’s Feb. 2 game against the Blackhawks because of the injury.
“I think it’s not serious,” Evason said Feb. 2. “But whenever a guy misses a game it’s not good. He’ll be alright.”
Minnesota plays Tuesday night at Winnipeg before getting a few days off. Dumba is definitely out for the Winnipeg game, so fans will have to keep tabs on his status for Saturday’s home game against Carolina.
