NY Islanders fans calling Emil Heineman trade a heist of the Montreal Canadiens

New York Islanders fans have been openly giddy about what they view as outright larceny by general manager Mathieu Darche in the Noah Dobson trade with Montreal. Habs fans will try to save face and say it was 'a great trade for both teams,' but they know in their heart the truth. The deal returned two first-round picks and Emil Heineman — who was widely dismissed as a secondary piece — and that combination has transformed both the present lineup and the organization’s long-term profile.

Heineman scored two more goals on Thursday night versus Detroit and looks more than comfortable playing alongside Bo Horvat on the Islanders' top line. That's five goals in seven games. The 23-year-old was off to a blazing start with Montreal last season before being in a freak car accident in Salt Lake City. The injury sustained prevented the winger from having a breakout season and made him expendable to Montreal when Darche zeroed in on him to acquire Dobson. “He’s a strong kid that skates great, he’s got a rocket of a shot, said Darche after the trade. "If you look at his goals, it’s a high-velocity shot that can score. We see a lot of potential in this player.”

That sentiment was laid out in detail this week on the Isles House podcast, where hosts Ethan, Jack, and Rocco argued that the trade will age brutally for the Canadiens. "It's unbelievable, I can't believe that Emil Heinenman was not even the focal point of this trade," said Ethan. "Two firsts on top of it!"

"You don't just trade a player like Emil Heinenman," explained Rocco. "Size, shooting, just so much heart, team guy...I just can't believe we got him on this squad."

Their case centered on three pillars: first, Heineman has already proven NHL utility in a depth role, driving forecheck pressure, finishing chances and adding physicality; second, the two first-round picks have elevated the Islanders from the bottom tier of league prospect pools into the national conversation; and third, the transaction accomplished something that is generally considered impossible — meaningfully replenishing the future without sacrificing present competitiveness.

"The best part is this guy can defend too, not only a top-six winger, but this guy can defend maybe better than the guy we traded," added Jack. "And we got two first-round picks!"

The enthusiasm around Heineman is not about stardom, but about value — the idea that a player originally labeled a toss-in has become a contributing piece at the NHL level while the two premium assets still sit in reserve. In an era where teams often spend half a decade rebuilding to accumulate that kind of capital, Islanders fans believe they extracted it in one deal.

The prevailing fan takeaway is that this trade will not simply be judged on the two first-round picks, but on the unexpected rise of Heineman himself — a development that may haunt Montreal long before those selections ever play a game.