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Cost Of Overvaluing Talent: Exhibit A: Matt Dumba |
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What is the cost of overvaluing your own talent?
That for certain, is an impossible question to answer, but it should be evaluated with more scrutiny each year among the team's management group.
It must be a collaborative approach to ensure objectivity is front and center of the discussion. The rose colored glasses must be avoided regardless of what the most recent performance may seem to indicate moving forward.
The Wild may have the poster player for this overvalued conversation, Matt Dumba.
As the calendar gets ready to turn to August, the 28 year old right shot defenseman remains unsigned.
Dumba has been rumored to be dealt more than any player in Wild team history. Those trades never materialized and Dumba remained with the Wild through the end of his contract.
That is only a small part of the equation though. The bigger piece is the two expansion drafts that caused two Wild GM's to maneuver and alter the organization to retain their own homegrown defenseman, Matt Dumba.
Obviously, the first expansion draft when Vegas came in, most will point to where the Wild dealt Alex Tuch in exchange for the Golden Knights selecting Erik Haula over Dumba.
Imagine Alex Tuch centering the Wild's top line...
The second expansion draft on the surface shows the Wild lost, Carson Soucy, (who BTW signed his own 3-year deal as an unrestricted free agent with Vancouver) which seems like it was just one depth defenseman, that the Wild lost. However, Bill Guerin, had to buy out Ryan Suter in order to protect Matt Dumba.
Yes, the Suter buyout was coupled with Zach Parise, but Suter did not need to be bought out. I understand the reason for the dual buyouts was primarily to turn over the locker room.
Parise was absolutely a buyout candidate based on his declining production. Suter could have been moved with some contract retention, as he was still performing at a fairly high level.
The Wild could have a few million dollars more in which to have worked last season and the next two if Suter was dealt rather than bought out.
So what is the price of overvaluing your own players?
Costly to say the least and often detrimental for years to come.
Minnesota Wild Blogger • 
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