New York Islanders fleece Canadiens in Dobson blockbuster

The New York Islanders fleeced the Montreal Canadiens in Friday’s blockbuster trade, leading up to the opening night of the 2025 NHL Draft.

The Isles ended weeks of speculation by trading Dobson, an impending RFA, to the Habs. The deal was a sign-and-trade, landing the Isles two first-round picks and RFA Emil Heineman.

On the surface, getting two first-round picks was a tremendous haul for the Islanders. The club could have gotten one first-rounder from another club. But the Canadiens were in a position to pony up two first-rounders.

That move alone gives the Islanders three first-rounders: #1, #16, and #17. If the New York Islanders did nothing else, the trade would be a fleecing. The Isles can utilize the picks to restock their prospect pool and push back from the table.

On top of the two first-rounders, the Isles got Emil Heineman. Heinaman was a second-round pick of the Florida Panthers in 2020. He was part of the return in the Sam Bennett trade between the Panthers and the Calgary Flames.

The Flames then sent Heineman to the Canadiens in the Tyler Toffoli deal during the 2022 trade deadline. He played four games in 2023-24 for the Habs. This past season, Heineman suited up for 62 games, scoring 10 goals and 18 points.

In Heineman, the Islanders get a solid middle-six winger in need of a new contract. He won’t command anything near what Dobson got from the Canadiens, making him a great addition to the team’s depth chart.

But there’s something else.

The talk of the town is that Islanders will weaponize their two new first-rounders to move up and trade for a pick that would enable them to take hometown prospect James Hagens.

If that plan comes to fruition, the Montreal Canadiens will have facilitated a radical transformation in Long Island. Mathieu Darche, meanwhile, will look like a genius.

NHL Draft Lottery win facilitated New York Islanders’ massive coup

The NHL Draft Lottery unleashed the chain of events unfolding as we speak. The pick allows the Islanders to nab Matthew Schaefer, essentially making Noah Dobson expendable.

The Islanders can survive a couple of seasons until Schaefer is ready for prime time. In the meantime, a blue liner core featuring Alexander Romanov, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and a younger supporting cast could allow the Isles to get back into the playoff race.

All of these events would not have been possible without the lottery win. If the Isles had not landed the first-overall selection, the team would have likely had no other choice but to overpay for Dobson.

But that wasn’t the case. The universe has enabled Islanders to get valuable pieces, while saving $9.5 million off the team’s books for the next eight seasons.

Here’s hoping Noah Dobson thrives in Montreal. But if he doesn’t, this deal will look even better for the Islanders.

Kudos to Mathieu Darche.