Former NY Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson is taking heat after two preseason games with the Montreal Canadiens

Well, that didn’t take long. After playing just two preseason games with the Montreal Canadiens, former NY Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson is already receiving criticism from the Montreal media.

In a game where the Habs fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-2, the criticism regarding Dobson sounds awfully familiar to that of his time on Long Island.

Dobson faces early criticism in Montreal

“I’m not picking on this player because I think he’s going to be really important for Montreal,” Pierre McGuire said on The Sick Podcast with Tony Molinaro. “I’m telling you, Tony, they’ve got to get him corralled, and they’ve got to break him down defensively. All that offensive stuff is fine, but if he’s not going to compete in his own zone and make good reads in his own zone, it’s going to be a problem. They’re (the Canadiens) are not going to say it publicly, but they know what I’m talking about.”

During Dobson’s career season in 2023-24, where he totaled 70 points, the former first-round pick still never stood out as one of the best players on the ice. Though losing an offensively skilled right-handed defenseman is a tough pill to swallow, his loss has never been considered a massive one on Long Island. And with a rabid fanbase in Montreal, they expect Dobber to be one of the best players on the ice every shift.

“I expect more from Noah Dobson,” Danny Dubé of 98.5 FM in Montreal said during last night's second intermission. “You know, I expect more leadership, a better presence. I see that he’s a good player, that he has skills, etc. But is his presence significant? I don’t see that presence. I don’t see a player who takes control of the game—and that worries me a little. Even if these are only preseason games.”

When Mathieu Darche stepped in as the new GM for the Islanders, he had hoped to re-sign Dobson. He had a dollar amount he was willing to go up to, but was unwilling to surpass that amount. When that number wasn’t acceptable for Dobson and his agent, Darche was willing to deal Dobson. Now, earning $9.5M a season, Dobson must live up to the contract or face more criticism in Montreal than he ever has in Long Island.

“Now you understand why Lou Lamoriello refused to go down the path of over $8M AAV,” McGuire said. “Now you know"