The Dallas Stars wouldn't have signed Matt Dumba if it weren't for Chris Tanev telling the Stars he was going to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Illya Lybushkin and Matt Dumba ended up being "Plan B" if Tanev didn't re-sign with the Dallas Stars. Dumba had an up-and-down career with the Stars throughout last season. There were times where he was playing his butt off and other nights he was forgetting his defensive assignment. After Lian Bichsel took over his roster spot, Dumba's future with the team was set in stone.
Delay in Pittsburgh/Dallas deal was notifying one of the players...
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 10, 2025
Matt Dumba and a 2028 2nd to Penguins for Vladislav Kolyachonok
Matt Dumba was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with a 2028 second-round pick for Vladislav Kolyachonok. It was a straight trade with an incentive attached to it. It seems like the Penguins are about to embrace the full-tank mode with the trade they made this afternoon with the Stars. It also works out for the Stars because they are now out of the negative with the trade. Jim Nill showed why he three-peated as the GM of the Year.
As for Kolyachonok, he joins a Dallas Stars Defensemen room that needs improving. Last season with the Penguins, he finished with two assists and a -5 on-ice rating. While it wasn't his best season as a hockey player, he will only cost $ 775,000 next season, compared to the four million that Dumba was roughly going to make. It was a great move by the Stars to clear some salary cap and add a promising defenseman who needed a change of scenery. I'm sure Glen Gulutzan will do a good job of turning him into a serviceable defenseman next season.
Now that the Stars are in the green in terms of salary cap, I'm sure the Stars are done making moves. They might promote a couple of prospects and finalize the roster for next season. That would probably be what the Stars intend to do with the couple of roster spots that are currently open. I don't see the Stars going out and bringing in another veteran because it could end up putting the Stars back in the red. The Stars are in the green now, and it seems like the roster for next season is about finalized.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 10, 2025
We have acquired Vladislav Kolyachonok from the @penguins for Matt Dumba and a 2028 second-round pick.@shift4 | #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/3p2bXemaMQ
I hope Dumba realizes it's nothing personal in terms of him being traded. Bichsel developed faster than a speeding bullet and was ready for the NHL faster than expected. For the number of games that Dumba played for the Stars, he did a good job. Unfortunately, it's part of the business that stinks in terms of getting traded. This time, it was because a prospect was already ready for the big leagues. I hope he has a good season with the Penguins next year and thank him for his contributions to the Stars' organization.