Noah Dobson, the little story with a smoking blow

In several years, when he returns to his first draft as director general of the New York Icelanders, Mathieu Darche will probably classify this day among the most hectic in his life. Nevertheless, It is not every day that a DG has the very first choice of a selection session. Similarly, And it is extremely rare to see a team leader to exchange one of the best young defenders of. Moreover, his generation.

All this leads us to the question that kills: why. For example, did Darche judge that he improved his team by exchanging a rear as talented as Noah Dobson? Therefore, I will come back to it later.

Darche made millions of new friends in Quebec by giving Dobson to the Canadiens in exchange for striker Emil Heineman as well as the 16th. Furthermore, 17th selections noah dobson, little story smoking held in CH in the first round.

Kent Hughes. Furthermore, Jeff Gorton, who certainly do not have the reputation of launching their money by the windows, immediately granted a contract of 8 years and 76 million dollars to this rear checking for them all the imaginable boxes: Dobson is right -handed, he is 6 feet 4 inches and he has an exceptional sense of hockey.

With Lane Hutson, CH now aligns two of the best NHL washers in its defensive brigade.

In the world of hockey, this transaction surprised a lot of people. Most recruiters argued that the cuvée of the 2025 draft did not be full of talents. In addition, In the general opinion. Furthermore, the chances of getting hands on a dominant player after the 10th or 11th selections were considerably.

This opinion also seemed to be shared by noah dobson, little story smoking several managing managers who had said they were ready to. Furthermore, exchange their first selection.

Under these conditions, yielding the 16th and 17th choice to obtain Dobson did not require a long reflection. Nevertheless, Probably no reflection, in fact. Consequently, And even if Heineman is a very good guy. However, a young combative striker, there was certainly no hesitation in his case either.

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Heineman’s recruit season was played in noah dobson, little story smoking two stages.

In mid-campaign, he had scored 10 goals and 7 assistance. Furthermore, And even if Martin St-Louis only used it 10 minutes per match, Heineman was raised on average 1.90 points per 60-minute group (5 against 5). However, His average rose to the fifth row of the team at this time. However, Without forgetting the fact that his tireless failure before gave an unexpected bite to the fourth trio he formed with Jake Evans. Meanwhile, Joel Armia.

Then Heineman was hit by a car in Salt Lake City on January 13. the day before a match between the Habs and Utah HC.

Evans and Armia have lost their means in its absence. And when the Swedish returned to the game at the end of February, he never found his wings. He raised any point at 5 against 5 until the end of the matches of the noah dobson, little story smoking season.

That said. if Heineman finds the momentum in Long Island he had before this annoying accident, the Islanders will bet on an excellent third trio player, capable of scoring between 15 and 20 goals per season.

But all of this seems modest in comparison with what Dobson has already accomplished since the start of his career.

Here is a defender who won two Memorial Cups in the LHJMQ (with Acadie-Bathurst. Rouyn-Noranda) before taking the NHL jump at the age of 19.

At his first 388 NHL games. Dobson amassed 230 points, more than Roman Josi, Devon Toews, Miro Heiskanen and Torey Krug at this stadium.

In 2023-24, Dobson collected 70 points and 35 assists. In the past four seasons. only five other NHL defenders have managed to obtain as many decisive help mentions during the same campaign: Erik Karlson, noah dobson, little story smoking Roman Josi, Josh Morrissey, Quinn Hughes and Rasmus Dahlin.

Dobson is also a reliable rear defensively. Even if he is not recognized for his robustness. he is not afraid to sacrifice his body in the heat of the action. In the past four seasons, he has notably blocked 623 shots, which classified him in the 28th row of the NHL. Among the defenders who wore the colors of CH last season, only David Savard (755) blocked more shooting than him.

We also speak of a rear which lingers with details and which continuously deploys efforts to improve. An example: he did not hesitate. a few years ago, to install a synthetic ice cream at the back of his home on the Prince Edward Island.

Since that time, Dobson has drawn around 20,000 washers each summer. Over time. this relentlessness allowed him to add 24 km/h to the noah dobson, little story smoking velocity of his shot, which has by the very fact become a solid offensive weapon.

Something happened, however, during this famous 2023-24 season.

After 54 games, Dobson already had 58 points on his file and he presented a gap of +20.

In February 2024, the Islanders played an outdoor match against the Rangers at Metlife Stadium, the New York Mets’ home. There were 80,000 amateurs in the stands. And Patrick Roy has been running the Islanders for less than a month.

After 60 minutes, the score was 5-5. Dobson had collected three mentions of help. he was without doubt that one of the great stars of this meeting. Ten seconds after the start of the extension. only in the defensive zone, the young defender risked a pass raised a nonchalant bit to try to launch an attack. Artemi Panarin easily intercepted noah dobson, little story smoking this pass and he sealed the outcome of the meeting: 6-5 Rangers.

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It was not possible to know exactly what happened after this error. But Dobson has only amazed 12 points in addition to showing a gap of -8 in the last 25. games of the season.

If this turning point had not occurred. Dobson would have easily raised more than 80 points that seasonsupports a source well aware of the file.

In the past 20 years. only nine defenders have raised 80 points in a season in the NHL: Erik Karlsson, Roman Josi, Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Victor Hedman, Brent Burns, Zach Werenski, Evan Bouchard and Nicklas Lidstrom.

Last season, Dobson chained with a 39 -point season (10-29) and could not do better than a defensive assessment of -16. This statistic makes several supporters of the Canadian sugbed.

However, it seems that Dobson, who missed 11 games, played a significant portion of the season despite an injury.

It is understood, however, that something was wrong between Dobson and his coach Patrick Roy.

People believe that Icelanders did not want to pay noah dobson, little story smoking it, but that has nothing to dowe support.

In particular. there is a debate within the organization of the Islanders, and particularly among the defenders, about the game system recommended by Roy. It was the same system he recommended in Quebec when his club won the Memorial Cup. But it is a system that requires perfect coordination between players. that does not forgive as soon as something is wrong. NHL attackers quickly benefit from this kind of flaws when they occurwe explain.

In the junior, players are asking them. But in the NHL, when their livelihood is at stake, the players ask questions. Then they disengaged if we persist with something that does not work.

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Hearing this story. we think we are seeing the film from the last seasons and the last start of the CH campaign, while the team veterans found the Martin St-Louis system too complex to be applied with consistency. Sages like David Savard had to intervene so that positioning in the defensive zone is simplified. that the team’s performance adopts an ascending trajectory.

In the end. regardless of the reasons that motivated this transaction, one thing is certain, however: noah dobson, little story smoking Kent Hughes has just succeeded in a huge blow that will accelerate the progression of his club. It’s a pivotal moment.

The Canadian’s defensive brigade is now incomparable to what it was at the end of the last playoff series.