This is the sixth installment in a series of profiles of members of the Penguins' major-league roster, as listed alphabetically on the team's website. There will be one each weekday until all players have been addressed.
BRIAN DUMOULIN
Age: 27
Size: 6 foot 4, 207 pounds
Position: Defense
Acquired: Trade with Carolina, 2012
Salary-cap hit: $4.1 million through 2022-23
2018-19 NHL stats: Three goals, 20 assists in 76 games
How he fits: He's big, mobile, responsible and thinks defense first, which makes him the ideal partner for Kris Letang on the No. 1 defense pairing.
Shortcomings: There isn't much of an offensive dimension to his game, although that's far from the focus of his job description.
Strengths: Dumoulin can log a lot of minutes and, not surprisingly, last season ranked first or second among Penguins defensemen in pretty much every significant defensive statistic, including hits, blocked shots and takeaways.
Hidden variable: Given how steady and reliable he is, it's hard to imagine anything about Dumoulin that is uncertain, with the possible exception of the one factor that can affect any player: Injuries. So far, though, Dumoulin has stayed relatively healthy, dressing for 70 or more games in each of his four full seasons in the NHL.
2019-20 expectations: What Dumoulin has shown since he became a fixture in the Penguins' lineup is exactly what can be expected from him again during the coming season. He'll be a major presence in the defensive zone, likely will average more time on the ice than any teammate except Letang and will be an underrated contributor to anything the team is able to accomplish during the regular season any beyond.
The big question: Will Dumoulin have more career power-play or shorthanded points by the end of the regular season? So far, he has four of each in 319 games.
All profiles to date can be found here.
To continue reading, log into your account:
