Stars sign Matt Dumba, Ilya Lyubushkin to two-year contracts

Though they lost a key blueliner, the Dallas Stars have added a couple of solid players to their backend.

On Monday, the team signed defensemen Matt Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin to two-year contracts.

Dumba returns to the Western Conference with an AAV of $3.75 million carrying through the 2025-26 season. TSN’s Bob McKenzie broke the news earlier in the day.

Dumba has taken a pay cut for the second straight year. The Regina, Saskatchewan native went from making $6 million in 2022-23 to $3.9 million last season. The $3.75 million cap hit is the lowest since Dumba made $2.55 million over the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons with the Minnesota Wild.

Dumba made his first move of his NHL career last summer when he signed with the Arizona Coyotes. After 58 games with the ‘Yotes, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired the former Portland Winterhawk before the trade deadline. He played the final 18 games of his regular season with the Lightning, registering two assists and a plus/minus of -5 over that span. He also played in all five of Tampa’s playoff games, as they were ultimately eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers.

In 674 NHL games, Dumba has notched 83 goals and 165 assists with a +11 rating, notching 15 points in 54 playoff games with a -6.

Lyubushkin’s contract will have a $3.25 million cap hit through the 2025-26 campaign. The Russian defender is receiving a $500,000 pay raise.

Like Dumba, Lyubushkin was a player who was brought in before the trade deadline in order to enhance a playoff team’s blueline. After starting the season with the Anaheim Ducks, the 30-year-old was acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a three-team trade in February, the second time in three years he has joined the team from the Six. Lyubushkin registered four assists, and a +2 rating in 19 games with the Maple Leafs. In 74 regular-season games, he posted eight assists and a -11 rating. He played in the entire seven-game series against the Boston Bruins, which Toronto ended up losing.

In 353 games, the former Arizona Coyote has scored five goals and 42 assists, posting four assists in 14 playoff games, all with the Leafs.