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.