Matt Dumba to return to junior and talks about his experience in the NHL

As you know by now, Matt Dumba is on his way back to Red Deer of the Western Hockey League. The 18-year-old is ineligible for Houston because Canadian Hockey Leagues can’t play in the AHL if they’re under 20 (explains to you why Jonas Brodin could at 19). This means Dumba is ineligible next year, too.

Both Yeo and GM Chuck Fletcher called Dumba a “sponge.” I’ve written a gazillion times why the Wild kept him around for a week and how the organization believes this will be a valuable experience. But as I’ve indicated for a week, Dumba’s time would obviously come to an end when Brodin and Scandella were ready.

Now it’s up to Dumba to go back to Red Deer and let that confidence drive him this second half. But he should come to training camp next fall feeling very confident. Just getting to shadow a bunch of NHLers for basically two weeks can only make him feel more comfortable in September’s camp.

Here is Dumba: “Coming into training camp, I didn’t expect anything like this. I didn’t expect to stay around. It was a real good experience for me being able to stay up for these two weeks and just take it all in.

“I think that’s huge for me, getting to know the guys personally and just knowing what it takes to be at this level. The things that happen every day, just being in the locker room, just the little stuff, the workouts, just everything that goes along with being in the NHL I’ve taken away from this.”

What did he learn most? “They’re great everyday. They come to the rink to work hard and be professional.”

Asked if he was disappointed he couldn’t at least play a game, Dumba said, “I would have loved that for sure. I’d be lying if I told you otherwise. But I’m OK. I’m OK. The experience that I did have up here was great.”

On his confidence going back to Red Deer: “I’ll have a ton. Just having this experience under my belt, I should be steps ahead of others guys throughout the league. I’m going to go back there with that confidence and that swag to play my best game and be confident and play with poise and be good. … Hopefully next year it sets me up well.”

via Russo’s Rants | StarTribune.com.