3 New York Islanders players who surprised us this season

Few saw Noah Dobson shattering his previous points total

Noah Dobson has played a strong two-way game for a couple of seasons now, putting up 51 and 49 points between 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively. While we knew his ceiling could supersede what was then a career-high 51 points back in 2021-22, nobody thought we would see him hit the 70-point barrier. 

Dobson didn’t break the 13-goal threshold for the third year running, but he still hit double-digits with 10 goals scored, plus an eye-popping 60 assists, good for 70 points on the year. Speaking of career-highs, Dobson also shattered his previous average time on ice by three minutes, giving him 24:31 on the year, which led to an even greater presence in the defensive zone. 

In 79 games, he logged 180 blocked shots, 84 hits, and 32 takeaways, which further made the 2023-24 season his most effective. At even strength, he was on the ice for nearly 17 more goals than expected, and with a 9.8 on-ice shooting percentage, the Islanders were, overall, a better team in the offensive zone when he was in the game. 

Like Barzal, some effective performances in the playoffs will leave fans feeling even better about Dobson in what will be a contract season in 2024-25.