Penguins A to Z: Even with uncertainty, Brian Dumoulin remains a major component

With the Penguins’ 2021-22 season coming to a quick ending in the first round of the playoffs, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until the 2022-23 season — with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

Brian Dumoulin

Position: Defenseman

Shoots: Left

Age: 30

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 207 pounds

2021-22 NHL statistics: 76 games, 18 points (three goals, 15 assists)

Contract: In the fifth year of a six-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $4.1 million. Pending restricted free agent in the 2023 offseason.

Acquired: Trade, June 22, 2012

Last season: Just from a standpoint of actually being in the lineup, Brian Dumoulin had his best season in years.

After all, he only missed six games, a fairly minuscule total for a player who blocks his fair share of shots and takes all kinds of abuse as a defensive defenseman.

By comparison, he missed 56 of a possible 125 games during the two previous regular seasons.

Aside from a five-game absence in November because of covid-19 and a one-game respite in March due to an undisclosed illness, Dumoulin was healthy enough to be in the lineup for nearly the entire season.

“Enough” being the key verbiage.

In his end-of-season media availability, Dumoulin revealed an undisclosed foot ailment had hindered him to some degree throughout most of the season.

It’s hard to say how that malady might have specifically impeded Dumoulin, but errors pockmarked his typically reliable game at a far more regular rate throughout the season, particularly during the late stages.

Perhaps his most egregious miscue came during a 3-2 home loss to the New York Rangers on March 29. Defending a one-goal lead, Dumoulin make a hideous clearing attempt from his own left corner that ended up in the slot and was converted into a game-tying goal.

Dumoulin’s postseason ended up lasting one game. In the first contest of a first-round series with the Rangers, Dumoulin crashed into his own net and hyper-extended his right knee, resulting in a grade-three tear of his MCL.

With Dumoulin missing the final six games, the Penguins went out in seven games.

The future: While Dumoulin has another year remaining on his contract, he is at something of a career crossroads.

First, the future of his long-time defensive partner, Kris Letang, remains unresolved as Letang is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 13. If Letang were to move on, Dumoulin’s primary role of being a counterbalance to the aggressive Letang just won’t exist, at least not to the same degree.

Second, the Penguins have a lot of left-handed defensemen and could benefit from shedding some salary cap space. With Dumoulin entering the final year of his contract, he could be easier to potentially jettison compared to fellow southpaw defensemen such as Mike Matheson (four years remaining) or Marcus Pettersson (three years remaining).

Such a maneuver could potentially open a spot for left-handed defensive prospect P.O Joseph.

That said, Dumoulin is by no means a detriment to the Penguins. He logged an ample 21:49 of ice time per contest in 2021-22 and buoyed the Penguins’ penalty kill which ranked third in the NHL during the regular season with a conversion rate of 84.4 %. Beyond that, he is said to be one of the loudest — if not the loudest — voices in the dressing room.

Even if his future is a bit uncertain, Dumoulin, who turns 31 in September, remains a major component of this franchise.