Islanders want Noah Dobson back but won’t sweat rival offers
MONTREAL — Right here is the entire checklist of defensemen since 2013-14 to crack the 50-point barrier whereas averaging over 20 minutes a recreation in certainly one of his first three NHL seasons, as Noah Dobson did final season: John Klingberg, Erik Gustafsson, Thomas Chabot, Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, Adam Fox.
That checklist, courtesy of Elias Sports activities Bureau, demonstrates a actuality with which the Islanders should rapidly come to phrases: Dobson is on the quick monitor to being one of many league’s elite defensemen. They usually would possibly simply have to pay him like one.
The 22-year-old native of Prince Edward Island will probably be a restricted free agent, open to a suggestion sheet that might detonate any of Lou Lamoriello’s well-laid plans, if the Islanders can not come to phrases on an extension earlier than July 13. The Islanders have roughly $12 million in cap area, per Cap Pleasant, and can want each little bit of it to make repairs to a roster crying out for assistance on the blue line and on Mathew Barzal’s wing. However earlier than they do any of that, they should lock up Dobson.
“I don’t even suppose like that,” Lamoriello mentioned Wednesday, when requested in regards to the urgency of doing so. “It’s not even in my vocabulary, in different phrases. We’ll do no matter we will to get him signed at any time when we will, however we’re not gonna be threatened by worrying about doing one thing due to a suggestion sheet. I’ve been on this too lengthy to fret about that.”
Lamoriello’s poker face apart, the aforementioned checklist presents some concept of the anticipated wage vary Dobson might fetch. As a restricted free agent (and one who has not received a Norris Trophy), it figures that Dobson wouldn’t get close to, say, Fox’s $9.5 million AAV, barring a suggestion sheet that blows expectations out of the water. Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk, who missed inclusion as a result of shortened 2019-20 season, may be a extra apt comparability, having signed a four-year cope with $5.875 AAV that kicked in forward of final season.
The numbers on Chabot’s present deal, signed following a breakout 2018-19 season by which he put up 55 factors on 24:17 time on ice, characterize one thing of a ceiling if the Islanders and Dobson wish to make a long-term dedication to one another. An identical deal to that mega eight-year, $8 million AAV extension would cement half of the Islanders’ prime six in place till 2029, when Adam Pelech’s deal expires, however doubtless pressure a top-heavy configuration for the length.
Extra instantly, the fear will probably be discovering Dobson a accomplice who can take some playmaking duty off his shoulders. Zdeno Chara was implausible as a mentor to Dobson final season, however that individual ability is not within the 45-year-old’s toolbox.
“I believe in an ideal world, if we might add an offensive defenseman, a defensive defenseman — that’s an ideal world,” Lamoriello mentioned. “So what you do is you attempt to get as near an ideal world as you’ll be able to, however you additionally know you’ll by no means get there.”
In a flat-cap world, the truth will probably be fairly removed from good. It doesn’t matter what quantity Dobson lands on, it is going to take a big chunk out of the $12 million Lamoriello at present has at his disposal.
If the Islanders have extra up their sleeves then, it’s doubtless that transferring some wage off their books will probably be a necessity. Lamoriello reiterated on Wednesday that he likes the core he has, however he hasn’t made a lot of a secret of his want to make a deal ought to one current itself.
“It’s similar to enjoying an ideal recreation,” he mentioned. “I nonetheless haven’t seen one but. However you try to get there. You recognize what your wants are, you do one of the best job you can to get there.”
