The New York Islanders are poised to select defenseman Matthew Shaefer with the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday night. That trade could reportedly have a domino effect, with one of the NHL’s top-scoring defensemen now being shopped around the league.
According to Chris Johnston of The Athletic, the Islanders are engaged in trade talks regarding defenseman Noah Dobson. New York is currently having discussions with the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues, among other clubs.
Related: Final NHL mock draft 2025
- Noah Dobson stats (ESPN): 39 points (29 assists, 10 goals), 12 power-play points (11 assists, 1 goal) in 71 games
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.ca reported on Friday morning that he’s heard Dobson would prefer staying with a team in the Eastern Conference. As a restricted free agent, this could have a significant influence on which team acquires him.
Dobson, age 25, and the Islanders’ organization previously explored a contract extension that would keep him with the team well past next season. However, following those talks, New York began shopping him around the league.
While the number of teams with interest in Dobson is high, per Johnston, there’s less certainty regarding how many of them can meet the acquisition price. Any team interested in acquiring him would need to meet New York’s trade demands and then sign Dobson to a long-term extension to justify the price paid to the Islanders.
It’s previously been reported that the Islanders’ front office would like to acquire another top-10 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to select center James Hagens. The Utah Mammoth (fourth overall pick) are among the teams willing to trade their first-round pick before Friday night.
More About:NHL