NHL Rumors: Lightning to let Matt Dumba enter free agency after re-acquiring $47.25 million defenseman

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Matt Dumba will hit the free agent market on July 1, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta confirmed.

"Somewhat obvious after the #GoBolts acquired Ryan McDonagh, but I’ve confirmed that TB will not be bringing RD Matt Dumba back. He will hit the UFA market July 1," Pagnotta tweeted on X.

The Lightning acquired Dumba at this year’s trade deadline for a seventh-round pick from the Arizona Coyotes.

Dumba started the season in Arizona, playing in 58 games. But as the Lightning needed help on their blue line, the Bolts acquired Dumba. Dumba played in 18 regular-season games for Tampa and in five postseason games.

The Coyotes signed Dumba to a one-year, $3.9 million deal. But the Lightning has re-acquired Ryan McDonagh from the Nashville Predators this offseason. So it seems that Tampa re-acquired McDonagh to solidify the second pairing with Erik Cernak, making Dumba expendable.

McDonagh will be on Tampa’s books until 2026 with a $6.75 million cap hit. The Bolts’ cap situation looks complicated, with captain Steven Stamkos a free agent.

The Bolts have the looming free agency of Victor Hedman next summer and about $5 million in cap space this summer. In short, Tampa cannot afford to keep Dumba around even if they want to.

With Cernak, Mikhail Sergachev, McDonagh and one more season of Hedman, Dumba would become an expensive, bottom-pairing defenseman. Ultimately, the Bolts can fill out the bottom pair with other d-men on their roster, like Nick Perbix and Darren Raddysh.

Lightning want to re-sign Stamkos and Hedman

The two biggest names on the Bolts’ roster are heading into free agency. Stamkos could hit the market on July 1 this year, while Hedman could become a free agent next summer.

However, Bolts’ GM Julien BriseBois plans to avoid the drama. NHL.com reported BriseBois’ comments regarding the teams’ plans for Stamkos:

"Obviously, Steven Stamkos needs a contract and we want him part of that group. I am very hopeful.”

While BriseBois has said the right things, Stamkos doesn’t seem as optimistic. Regarding this contract situation, Stamkos said (per NHL.com):

"When you don’t have control of the situation, you just have to come to terms with that."

BriseBois is also committed to keeping Victor Hedman in Tampa.

"Obviously we’d love to keep Victor going forward. He’s an elite, elite defenseman. He’s one of those special all-time players, all-time great Tampa Bay Lightning," BriseBois said.

Hedman made his intentions known:

"Hopefully we can get something done in the summer. My plan is to retire as a Bolt, and I hope it can come true."

BriseBois and the Bolts would love to keep Stamkos and Hedman until they retire, though they will need to work some cap magic to make that happen.