The New York Islanders acquired a depth defensemen, Braydon Coburn, at the NHL Trade Deadline. This trade is insignificant in the grand scheme of things but adds defensive insurance if the Islanders suffer an injury in the playoffs. Most people agreed that Coburn should get into some Islander games ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but a concerning trend is becoming apparent. Noah Dobson has been sitting for Braydon Coburn.

Braydon Coburn has played in just three games since being dealt to the New York Islanders from the Ottawa Senators. In those three games, Coburn has no points and four penalty minutes. Coburn’s performance did not negatively impact the Islanders. His play, in layman’s terms, has been decent. Coburn is a depth defenseman who is responsible in his end of the ice.

But this issue became apparent due to the Islanders’ recent play.

The Islanders were struggling as of late before their win over the Devils Saturday, especially on the offensive front. Noah Dobson is not known for his offense but has more offensive upside to his game than Coburn. Dobson is also a young right-handed defenseman who should be playing.

The handiness of a player does not matter as much in the NHL as it used to, but it can still provide some benefits. Removing Dobson from the lineup detracts from the Islanders’ offense and will only continue to become more of a burden if this trend continues in the postseason.

A player the Islanders could rest in the playoffs is Andy Greene. Substituting Coburn for a defensive-minded defenseman such as Greene makes more sense than Dobson. The playoffs are approaching, and many teams that have clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs have been resting their veteran players.

Greene, who the Islanders traded for last season, is 38-years-old. The veteran defenseman is a staple on the Islanders blue line, but giving him some rest during a postseason could be beneficial. This would allow Coburn to conveniently get into some games to get better adjusted to the Islanders style of play and allow Dobson to continue to grow and provide for New York.

This problem is microscopic. This issue should not be present in the playoffs, as Braydon Coburn was acquired to be a reliable depth defenseman, but it is intriguing to look at how he is deployed.