The NHL season is still almost two months away but the New York Islanders have a few questions surrounding how their roster may look on opening night. One of those is whether Noah Dobson will get a shot with the Islanders to start the year.
Strong words from #Isles GM Lou Lamoriello about prized prospect Noah Dobson in a CBC article.
"He's very humble, very sincere, very team-orientated, very unselfish as a player on the ice and certainly respects his teammates and the way he treats other people."
There’s a great chance Dobson at least gets a nine-game trial run this year which could be the determining factor in whether or not he sticks in the NHL. Having Ryan Pulock and Noah Dobson as a one-two punch on the right-side may be too tempting not to run with though and the two will only continue to develop in the next few seasons.
There’s also the obvious option of sending Dobson back to junior for one more season. Holding off a year on a pro promotion gives the Islanders the option to start Dobson in Bridgeport for the 2020-21 season. That said, right now he looks like a top prospect and there may not be much reason to wait a year to start him in the AHL just for the sake of it. Plus, you have to wonder whether Dobson can really further his development with another year in junior or if it would be better to challenge him against top competition.
One question that arises is what would become of the Islanders current right-side defense if Dobson does make the team. Using Boychuk or even Mayfield as a spare who spends most of their time in the press box would diminish their trade value and make the player harder to move. Add to this that Boychuk’s contract is essentially buyout-proof and the Islanders would be in an interesting situation.
Even if Nick Leddy was actually moved, it still makes for a left-side versus right-side dilemma. New York could always use Carolina’s method and play two right-shot defense together, despite how uncommon it is to see it happen.
Whether Dobson arrives on the NHL scene this year or it takes some time will remain unanswered for the next couple of months though. Regardless, we know Dobson could be a key part of the Islanders’ blue line for the next decade or so, it’s just a matter of if he can help right now.