New York Islanders Shouldn’t Trade Noah Dobson for Jacob Trouba

Noah Dobson was drafted 12th overall in the NHL draft by the New York Islanders just last year and is on the verge of making the team. So why would they trade him for Jacob Trouba?

On Saturday, New York Post’s Larry Brooks speculated that the New York Islanders could be one of three Metropolitan Division teams chasing Winnipeg Jets right-handed defenseman and restricted free agent Jacob Trouba. And that the Isles might have to give up Noah Dobson in order to complete the trade.

In no way shape or form, should the New York Islanders make that type of trade. Dobson is a right-handed two-time Memorial Cup winning defenseman whose poised to make the NHL this season.

There’s no reason to trade him for a 25-year-old Jacob Trouba.

Lou Wouldn’t

Here’s what Brooks wrote on the trade between the Isles and the Jets on Saturday:

"For the Islanders, would Lamoriello be willing to include defenseman Noah Dobson, last year’s 12th-overall pick, in a deal for Trouba. For the Devils, would Shero be willing to send Jesper Bratt and Jesper Boqvist or Ty Smith back the other way? Smith, almost certainly not."

If Lou executes this trade, it would be one of the greatest flip-flops on a prospect.

At the trade deadline, Lou could have made a trade to bring in Mark Stone from the Ottawa Senators. Based on the return Ottawa got for Stone from the Golden Knights (namely defensive prospect Erik Brannstrom), Noah Dobson would have to have been sent Ottawa’s way from the Isles.

Lamoriello famously didn’t budge, and the trade deadline passed without any additions for the Islanders

Then, just last month Arthur Staple spoke to Lou Lamoriello (subscription required) about Noah Dobson after the Isles prospect won his second Memorial Cup in a row. The Isles GM was absolutely glowing:

"“The two years he’s had, I’d be awfully disappointed if he didn’t have a great chance of making this team,” Lamoriello said. “We’ll obviously have to see, but he’s had two exceptional years under pressure situations. You can’t get any higher in junior hockey than he’s gotten and he’s a terrific kid.”"

Why in the world would Lou Lamoriello go and trade Noah Dobson now? It doesn’t add up with everything he’s said about the young defenseman.

The only way this trade makes sense is if the New York Islanders are in a rush for results. If they don’t want to wait for Noah Dobson to get to Trouba’s level (or exceed it).

But there’s no reason to think they’d be in any rush. This is Lou Lamoriello’s second year in charge of the Islanders and they just came off a second-round exit in the playoffs and a 103 point season. There is absolutely no pressure for results. Lou has time. And when Lou has time, he takes it.

"You have to use whatever time is there to do whatever you feel is the right decision. There’s no time frame for anything. But when there is time, you use it. When there isn’t, you make a decision"

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Jacob Trouba is a good hockey player. But Noah Dobson is also a good hockey player and he’s already in the New York Islanders organization. And the organization already seems to love Noah Dobson. Trading him for Trouba makes no sense.