Noah Dobson Brings All the Plus with Little of the Minus to the New York Islanders Blue Line

Noah Dobson’s Plus Side Far Exceeds His Minus Side

PLUS

The New York Islanders selected Dobson 12th overall in the 2018 NHL Draft. The Isles placed high hopes on Dobson, hoping he could evolve into a bona fide number-one defenseman. His first two seasons were good, but unimpressive. Then, he seemed to turn a corner in 2021-22 and 2022-23, putting up 51 and 49 points respectively.

Then, it seemed like everything came together last season. In his fourth full season, Dobson scored ten goals and 70 points to go with a plus-12 rating. The numbers catapulted Dobson into the Norris Trophy conversation.

Dobson’s strong offensive season was a welcome complement to his already solid defensive play. Dobson isn’t flashy. He doesn’t wheel and deal on his own end, going coast-to-coast or jumping into odd-man rushes. He’s a smart blueliner who gets rid of the puck before transitioning to offense.

While he doesn’t have blazing speed, Dobson combines great puck-handling skills and smart vision to move the puck up the ice. His 60 assists last season were proof that he can find open ice, feeding goal scorers opportunities at the right time.

Then, there is Dobson’s contribution to the power play. His 24 power play points underscore his role with the man advantage. Dobson’s smart decisions and hard point shot, create scoring opportunities. The club potentially scores even more on the power play, with strong net-front players pouncing on rebounds or deflecting point shots.

Five-on-five, Dobson controls the play, minimizes turnovers, and keeps opposing players from wreaking havoc in the defensive zone. All of these characteristics have made Dobson the New York Islanders’ most reliable blue liner. His 24:30 minutes off average ice time highlights the confidence Dobson has earned from the coaching staff.

It’s worth pointing out that Dobson’s ice time jumped considerably under Patrick Roy. Under previous coaches, Dobson averaged slightly above 20 minutes per night. The nearly four-minute-per-game jump underscores the high-value Dobson has for the team.

Overall, Dobson’s strong points leave little room for doubt that he’s a legitimate number-one NHL defenseman. But like all players, Dobson is not without his flaws.

MINUS

The 24-year-old blueliner has shown a solid all-around style of play. However, critics have pointed out his eventual defensive lapses. These defensive lapses have been evident when transitioning from the defensive to the offensive zone. At times, it seems as though Dobson gets ahead of himself by trying to move the puck before ensuring the puck has exited the zone.

This situation requires a defense-first partner for Dobson. As such, having Alexander Romanov has been a determining factor in allowing Dobson to control the play and drive the puck. As such, Dobson’s detractors contend that he would not play at a high level if not for Romanov.

No offense to Romanov. He’s a great defenseman. But it’s not Romanov necessarily that enables Dobson to play well. It’s that both players team up to create opportunities that lead to scoring chances while minimizing the opposition’s scoring ability.

Also, Dobson has shown a lack of physicality at times. At 6’4”, Dobson has the size to be a bruising blueliner. However, Dobson uses his size to keep opponents away from the front of the net, allowing goaltenders to get a clear visual of the play.

While Dobson could deliver a meaner edge to his game, that’s not what he’s about. Dobson is a puck-moving defenseman who keeps opponents away from the net and focuses on making smart plays. That combination of skill and smarts allows Dobson to be a dominant force at both ends of the ice.

The Verdict

It may seem strange, but Noah Dobson is still just 24 years old. So, there’s still plenty of room to grow. Defensemen tend to take longer to fully develop their game. As such, it could be that we have just begun to scratch the surface of what Dobson can do.

This season, Dobson should get serious consideration for the Norris Trophy. Unless he regressed significantly, the only thing standing in Dobson’s way would be a major injury. Thus far, he’s shown considerable durability.

Ultimately, there’s little reason to believe that Dobson could be taking a Norris Trophy in the near future.