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The reported price to extend NY Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson is outlandish

Apr 4, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson (8) circles back to center ice after scoring a goal in the third period against the Minnesota Wild at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Apr 4, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson (8) circles back to center ice after scoring a goal in the third period against the Minnesota Wild at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Look, we all love what Noah Dobson brings to the New York Islanders' blue line. Despite taking a step back offensively this past season, he's still just one year removed from putting up 70 points and remains the team's quarterback on the power-play while playing 23-24 minutes a night. But let’s be real: $11 million AAV is way too much for new GM Mathieu Darche (or Steve Pellegrini, Ryan Bowness, or anyone with a calculator) to hand out right now.

On his DFO Rundown Podcast, NHL insider Frank Seravalli said that he heard that $11M was Dobson's initial ask. "We all know that starting points are not the end point and I don't see a path for him to get to that number, but he does have a 70 point season under his belt," Seravalli said.

Dobson isn’t Cale Makar. He’s not Adam Fox. Heck, he’s not even Quinn Hughes. Those guys either have Norris Trophies or consistent, elite-level seasons under their belt. Dobson? He’s coming off a down year, and as good as his 2023-24 season was, it had warts—defensive lapses, some late-season inconsistency, and he’s still not a true shutdown guy. You don’t pay $11 million for a gut that may be an All-Star someday. You pay that for the finished product.

More importantly, the Islanders simply can’t afford to shell out that kind of money. You can’t break your pay structure for one guy unless he’s a franchise cornerstone, a Norris or Hart Trophy type talent, and Noah Dobson isn't that yet, and it's unlikely he ever will be. At around $8–9 million AAV, fine. That’s where the comparables line up. But anything above that starts to look like a cap anchor.

The Isles need flexibility, not another contract that could age poorly. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock signed long-term deals that weren't close to that number, and those deals look questionable with years remaining. More Islanders fans want Dobson on Long Island for years to come—but not at the cost of hindering Darche's ability to build a winning team. If his number stays at $11 million or even $10 million? Pass and start looking for a trade partner willing to pay that price.

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