Noah Dobson has come a long way since his first NHL season with the Islanders in 2019-20. Head coach Barry Trotz weaned him into the lineup in his first year but Dobson has been a regular in the lineup for the past two seasons. While Dobson has been a good defenseman for the Isles the past few years, he never really stood out as a stellar defenseman like Adam Pelech or Ryan Pulock. 

However, Dobson has been red hot both offensively and defensively recently, becoming a difference maker in the Islanders’ lineup. 

Defensive Play

Dobson has been one of the Islanders’ best defensemen this season. Overall, Dobson is a –1, the second best rating among defensemen (Pelech leads the team as a +7). In 22 games, Dobson has recorded 47 blocks, only two less than Scott Mayfield who has the most blocks on the team. The young defenseman has also been credited with 31 hits, only seven less than fourth-liner Casey Cizikas. 

Offensive Play

Dobson’s offense has drastically improved this season. So much so that fans have begun calling him “Norris Dobson” for his ability to play a strong 200-foot game. Dobson leads defensemen in goals (3), assists (6), and points (9). He is even ranking highly among the Islanders’ forwards as well. Dobson has the third most assists on the team and is among the top five players in points. 

The 2018 12th overall pick has also been performing very well on the power-play, which the Islanders have struggled with for years. Dobson is the only defenseman to have a power-play goal and leads the defense with three power-play points. 

Dobson’s offensive success is not a coincidence. He has been getting pucks to the net more than he ever has before. Dobson has 48 shots on goal (tied with Anders Lee for fourth most on the team) in 22 games this season. Meanwhile last season, Dobson only had 69 shots on goal in 46 games. 

Recognition

Dobson’s breakout performance has not gone unnoticed by Trotz. In the Islanders’ most recent game on Dec. 14 against the Detroit Red Wings, Dobson got the most ice time (23:11) and shifts (25) out of any player. Trotz is known for keeping his young players on a tight leash and being reluctant to reward them for a great game. However, Dobson is getting the playing time he deserves and he should not take it for granted. The 21-year-old has shown such incredible potential and improvement this NHL season that fans cannot wait to see how much stronger of a player he becomes in the coming games, and even years. 

Maisy Healy

I am a huge Islanders fan and love spreading my passion for the team here at Drive4Five.  Along with writing, I also co-manage the Drive4Five TikTok and Facebook accounts.