Roster/Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2024-25: Re-Tool, Re-Group, Re-Mix, Re-Build

[YearlyLottery]

Great post. I am such a young talent/draft guy, but sometimes the thing you want is staring you right in the face. Dobson hasn't played well and has still proven he can be a 70 point defenseman in the NHL...And he's still only 25. He could be doing this for another decade.

With a new regime, and probably new coach(es), his game could round out very nicely. At minimum he's a very capable 2nd line defenseman on a team that is going to need more defense very soon when both Pelech and Pulock's game fall off a cliff...And Mayfield just continues being himself.

This is a major hang up for me. If this team puts top pairing money into a second pairing player you are already screwing with the cap JUST as we are getting out of it (still waiting on Pageau/Lee).

 

[periferal]

This is a major hang up for me. If this team puts top pairing money into a second pairing player you are already screwing with the cap JUST as we are getting out of it (still waiting on Pageau/Lee).

I hear you. Of course not what we want, but the biggest issue for this team when it comes to the cap is...Overspending on bottom 6 players. If morons like Lou would stop handing out contracts like Duclair and Engvall that gives you more room to f*** up your top contracts. Because both those guys are an absolute zero and it would cost assets to trade them...Whereas if you have a talented player, even if they aren't playing up to their contract you can usualyl always trade them (if you retain money).

Just look at Florida...They have Seth Jones on their 2nd pairing and he's making 9M/year, and they're doing just fine.

It's what I've been saying for years - Stop spending anything of note on your boottom 6, and shirt that money to truly talented players. Then surround them with as much talent as you can both on the ice and with the coaching staff to maximize their potential.

 

[periferal]

I'm saying the following:

-Dobson is not worth top pairing money when after 388 NHL games we have not seen a successful playoff round from him. I mean you want to give this guy major money a for what? One elite season?

- He is worth more than the third overall pick. If the new GM trades him for essentially Hagens I would not be happy.

These are not the only two scenarios that could take place though. So no, I do not believe I will 100% be disappointed either way. That being said I will be disappointed in what I believe is the wrong move.

If Dobson got us a lottery pick in the 2026 draft then I'd consider trading him, but I wouldn't trade him straight up for a top 5 pick in this draft. Romaov got the #13 pick in the 2022 draft which I see as similar in talent to this one, but Dobson's upside is so much higher than Romanov.

 

[MikeyMike01]

Great post. I am such a young talent/draft guy, but sometimes the thing you want is staring you right in the face. Dobson hasn't played well and has still proven he can be a 70 point defenseman in the NHL...And he's still only 25. He could be doing this for another decade.

With a new regime, and probably new coach(es), his game could round out very nicely. At minimum he's a very capable 2nd line defenseman on a team that is going to need more defense very soon when both Pelech and Pulock's game fall off a cliff...And Mayfield just continues being himself.

People talk about Dobson like he’s 32 and we’re about to give him a contract until he’s 40. It would be a big mistake to trade Dobson.

 

[periferal]

Need a wellness check on @periferal immediately

Thanks for the check-in SRB. However it's Malkin/Collins who should be checked in on. That would be embarrassing for all of us. As I said on the other board...

Leave it to the f***ing Islanders. When they make history it's almost always of the embarrassing kind...

• Fake owner buys team
• 15 year contracts
• Car with front row seat at arena.
• Gm gets fired...Only to be kept on to help guide team into the future.

WTF??? Snow was living out of his closet 24 hours after being fired. Why isn't Lou totally removed from the premises and his parking space revoked 2 weeks later. A f***ing joke.

 

[seafoam]

Great post. I am such a young talent/draft guy, but sometimes the thing you want is staring you right in the face. Dobson hasn't played well and has still proven he can be a 70 point defenseman in the NHL...And he's still only 25. He could be doing this for another decade.

With a new regime, and probably new coach(es), his game could round out very nicely. At minimum he's a very capable 2nd line defenseman on a team that is going to need more defense very soon when both Pelech and Pulock's game fall off a cliff...And Mayfield just continues being himself.

Did not expect “Periferal Wellness Check” to become part of my vocabulary in 2025 but hey, here we are!

 

[Arsenalogist24]

Thanks for the check-in SRB. However it's Malkin/Collins who should be checked in on. That would be embarrassing for all of us. As I said on the other board...

Leave it to the f***ing Islanders. When they make history it's almost always of the embarrassing kind...

• Fake owner buys team
• 15 year contracts
• Car with front row seat at arena.
• Gm gets fired...Only to be kept on to help guide team into the future.

WTF??? Snow was living out of his closet 24 hours after being fired. Why isn't Lou totally removed from the premises and his parking space revoked 2 weeks later. A f***ing joke.

Not to mention the Chris Lamiorello BS still existing for another year. Whether it’s just in Bridgeport or continuing to be “groomed” for the GM role

Both should’ve been purged by now

 

[periferal]

People talk about Dobson like he’s 32 and we’re about to give him a contract until he’s 40. It would be a big mistake to trade Dobson.

If Wayne Gretzky can be traded....Anyone can be traded.

The problem here is that too many Islanders fans are not appreciating Dobson's full value. Sure some of it is on him, but name a player on this team the past year that played up to their potential. Not even our best player Sorokin can say that.

Just one year ago Noah Dobson had 70 points in 79 games...As a defenseman...On the Islanders...Who can't score.

Now people want to trade him (and add) to get a top 5 pick in an average draft so they can take a 172lb center because his hockey blood is the anti-Tavares....?

As a very famous cartoon character once said....Get bent.

I'd like to see Sorokin, Barzal, Horvat, and especially Dobson play a season under a fresh/more competent regime...And better coach.

At minimum Dobson has already proven what he can be...In the NHL. I'm as jazzed about the upside of Schaefer as anyone who's watched him player, but you cannot say that about any single prospect in the 2025 draft.

So I'd be ok trading Dobson, but the return should be AT LESAT "Nelson-esque" if not more. If it ain't that, then he stays and you pay the man.

 

[Strickland]

The team is in bad enough shape that ANYONE on the roster is available if the price is right. I think, obviously, that Dobson and Romanov, by the fact that they lack NTCs, are the easiest assets to trade. If the returns are sizable, why not?

Then there's the NTC Brigade. Horvat is the one the Isles should be dangling. Getting him to move his NTC is gonna be hard, but he should return enough to help add more fuel to this rebuild.

And they should be rebuilding. They fall, ass first, into a first overall pick. Move out a couple of sizable pieces this summer, get a ton in return, don't just stink in 25-26 (a fait accompli no matter what they do this summer) but SUCK. Get a top 5 pick next summer and you're looking at an influx of talent this organization hasn't seen in decades.

You can literally shortcut YEARS of a rebuild. If you have the guts and smarts to do so this summer.

 

[YearlyLottery]

I hear you. Of course not what we want, but the biggest issue for this team when it comes to the cap is...Overspending on bottom 6 players. If morons like Lou would stop handing out contracts like Duclair and Engvall that gives you more room to f*** up your top contracts. Because both those guys are an absolute zero and it would cost assets to trade them...Whereas if you have a talented player, even if they aren't playing up to their contract you can usualyl always trade them (if you retain money).

Just look at Florida...They have Seth Jones on their 2nd pairing and he's making 9M/year, and they're doing just fine.

It's what I've been saying for years - Stop spending anything of note on your boottom 6, and shirt that money to truly talented players. Then surround them with as much talent as you can both on the ice and with the coaching staff to maximize their potential.

I disagree with you. Dobson currently has a ton of value. The second you sign him to that deal if he is only a second pairing guy who cannot produce come playoff time you all of a sudden have an immovable contract.

 

[periferal]

I disagree with you. Dobson currently has a ton of value. The second you sign him to that deal if he is only a second pairing guy who cannot produce come playoff time you all of a sudden have an immovable contract.

Think about what you're saying...

Any team that trades for Dobson knows they're giving him a huge/long-term contract around 8M if not more. So if we signed him to the exact same deal another team would, he'd have no value 5 minutes later?

Either teams value Dobson as with roughly an 8M cap hit now...Or they don't. If Dobson could be traded for a lot right now, then he could be traded for a lot soon after. Bad contracts get traded all the time, and the value increases if the trading team retains salary in the deal.

The bigger issue is that with those huge contract extensions also come no trade and no movement clauses that then significantly reduce trade value to almost whatever the player wants.

 

[seabass45]

Got me.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Mentioned this in the other thread but assuming we take Schaefer with the first overall, that player will not hit his prime for probably 4 seasons. Not saying he won't be in the NHL before then, but that's about how long it took players like Makar, Hughes and Dahlin to start becoming a major factor in games. Ideally, you'll want to make sure your team is as strong as possible at that time.

That's not to say the team needs to go into a complete rebuild, but I do think step one would be completely punting next season as much as possible. We've already started this process by getting a great return for Nelson. Now you need to trade Pageau and Lee and recoup picks/prospects for them that will fortify the team during their contention window, which will likely coincide with us having a true #1 defenseman and a true #1 goalie.

If Nelson, Lee and Palmieri are gone next season, that will be 3 or our 4 top scorers on a team with a scoring problem. We will be terrible - and that's a good thing. The 2026 draft is loaded - and while I doubt we win the lottery 2 years straight, you still want a shot at Stenberg or Roobroeck or Verhoeff or another one of the top picks.

If you do this right, you end up with a core prospect core Schaefer, Our 2026 first, Eiserman, Ritchie, Colorado's 2026 first, Nelson, Pulkinnen, and the returns for Lee and Pageau that will all hit the NHL while Barzal, Sorokin, Dobson, Romanov, Holmstrom and maybe Horvat are veterans but not yet in decline. And you've done it with only one truly bad season.

It's the best possible scenario for us. You need another elite talent to pair with Schaefer, and can hopefully find another in FA in 2026. Next year should be a punt, but things should immediately start to look brighter after that

I thought about this as well, but I can't really see us tanking with the players left behind. It would take a Sorokin injury to really put us in a good draft position.

 

[Strickland]

Think about what you're saying...

Any team that trades for Dobson knows they're giving him a huge/long-term contract around 8M if not more. So if we signed him to the exact same deal another team would, he'd have no value 5 minutes later?

Either teams value Dobson as with roughly an 8M cap hit now...Or they don't. If Dobson could be traded for a lot right now, then he could be traded for a lot soon after. Bad contracts get traded all the time, and the value increases if the trading team retains salary in the deal.

The bigger issue is that with those huge contract extensions also come no trade and no movement clauses that then significantly reduce trade value to almost whatever the player wants.

The issue with a Dobson trade next summer is the looming (and likely) NTC. It's a bit like the EP40 deal with the Canucks. Would they have been better off moving him last summer? I still genuinely don't know.

I'm hesitant with a Dobson trade. Players of his ilk are never available and as valuable as any piece in the league. Which is why the return has to be MASSIVE to justify moving him in the first place.

Finally, I'm firmly in team "rebuild". I think Schaefer should be picked first and should also be sent down to the OHL for next season. I think it's in the Isles best interest to punt on next season and be as terrible as they possibly can. And to ensure that, you gotta move pieces off the current roster. Can you move Pelech and Pulock and Horvat? Then do that, yes. But it's gonna be hard to get them to waive the NTCs.

Which is why you then land on Romanov and/or Dobson.

 

[impaaaaaact]

I thought about this as well, but I can't really see us tanking with the players left behind. It would take a Sorokin injury to really put us in a good draft position.

like that’s never happened before lolol

Seriously though, I’m not sure if it matters how good Sorokin might be if we need to make up like 75 goals from Nelson, Lee and Palmieri. That’s like a third of the goals last year.

Even if they replenish 50 of them with replacements it would put them in last in the league as far as how teams last year fared.

This is the state Lou left the franchise in. Luckily we were gifted a #1 overall when we didn’t deserve it. We can get another top five pick when we do next year. It’s the quickest rebuild we could have possibly hoped for

 

[SI]

Think about what you're saying...

Any team that trades for Dobson knows they're giving him a huge/long-term contract around 8M if not more. So if we signed him to the exact same deal another team would, he'd have no value 5 minutes later?

Either teams value Dobson as with roughly an 8M cap hit now...Or they don't. If Dobson could be traded for a lot right now, then he could be traded for a lot soon after. Bad contracts get traded all the time, and the value increases if the trading team retains salary in the deal.

The bigger issue is that with those huge contract extensions also come no trade and no movement clauses that then significantly reduce trade value to almost whatever the player wants.

The play for Dobson is to trade him for another RFA in a hockey trade (MacTavish, Rossi, JPP) or someone already signed, making some $ (Kyrou, Cirelli, Zegras) at a similar age. Maybe even an outside chance that Kent Johnson would be on offer in a hockey trade for Dobson.

Isles make the first pick.

Then talk to other teams out there, who may be looking for a D man like Dobson.
Dobson fits in Anaheim, Columbus, Nashville, Tampa Bay, and possibly Minnesota.

 

[SI]

like that’s never happened before lolol

Seriously though, I’m not sure if it matters how good Sorokin might be if we need to make up like 75 goals from Nelson, Lee and Palmieri. That’s like a third of the goals last year.

Even if they replenish 50 of them with replacements it would put them in last in the league as far as how teams last year fared.

This is the state Lou left the franchise in. Luckily we were gifted a #1 overall when we didn’t deserve it. We can get another top five pick when we do next year. It’s the quickest rebuild we could have possibly hoped for

It's not that far off -

Adding Schaefer and Ritchie to the prospect pool
Trading Dobson in a hockey trade
Get rid of some bad contracts - Duclair, Mayfield, and Engvall
And then leveraging the capspace they have puts them in a good position to compete next season.

It will take some creativity, but certainly doable.

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

Noah Dobson is only 25 years old, so that means he has 5 more seasons where he begins the season still in the 20s. He has a ton of prime years still ahead of him. So definitely tread carefully on a trade. With that said, he is a pending UFA in the summer of 2026, so this situation has to be dealt with by the 2026 trade deadline, preferably much sooner.

I only look to trade him in three situations:
1. You are able to sign Mitch Marner in UFA and thus wouldn't be able to afford Dobson (highly unlikely)
2. You can use Dobson to get the James Hagens pick (a little more likely than above, but still probably unlikely)
3. Dobson refuses to sign anything other than a 1-year deal, which effectively seals his fate of needing to be traded out of here

Assuming the above three situations don't occur, just give him $8-9M a year and keep your 25 year old, point-producing defenseman. A little overpaid, but it's okay to overpay your good players. It's the Scott Mayfields, Pierre Engvalls and Anthony Duclairs who add up that kill the cap.

I also believe, if you draft Matthew Shaefer, you will have someone who can help take the workload off Dobson in the future so he doesn't have to be "the guy" anymore. And I think that's going to help him considerably.

 

[LeapOnOver]

like that’s never happened before lolol

Seriously though, I’m not sure if it matters how good Sorokin might be if we need to make up like 75 goals from Nelson, Lee and Palmieri. That’s like a third of the goals last year.

Even if they replenish 50 of them with replacements it would put them in last in the league as far as how teams last year fared.

This is the state Lou left the franchise in. Luckily we were gifted a #1 overall when we didn’t deserve it. We can get another top five pick when we do next year. It’s the quickest rebuild we could have possibly hoped for

If that's what you want we should deal Dobson for a Hagens + package as well then.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Got me.

Context is everything.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Think about what you're saying...

Any team that trades for Dobson knows they're giving him a huge/long-term contract around 8M if not more. So if we signed him to the exact same deal another team would, he'd have no value 5 minutes later?

Either teams value Dobson as with roughly an 8M cap hit now...Or they don't. If Dobson could be traded for a lot right now, then he could be traded for a lot soon after. Bad contracts get traded all the time, and the value increases if the trading team retains salary in the deal.

The bigger issue is that with those huge contract extensions also come no trade and no movement clauses that then significantly reduce trade value to almost whatever the player wants.

Would you pay $8 million dollars for a second pairing defenseman who struggles defensively? Because that is what you are risking. The second he gets off to a 50 point start instead of a 70 point one he becomes an anchor. I am not willing to sign up for giving a player top pairing money who has only done it on the offensive side one season.

I don't think anyone here can tell me with complete seriousness that Tony DeAngelo looked worse than Noah Dobson.

 

[JPIsles18]

Would you pay $8 million dollars for a second pairing defenseman who struggles defensively? Because that is what you are risking. The second he gets off to a 50 point start instead of a 70 point one he becomes an anchor. I am not willing to sign up for giving a player top pairing money who has only done it on the offensive side one season.

I don't think anyone here can tell me with complete seriousness that Tony DeAngelo looked worse than Noah Dobson.

When Noah Dobson is on the ice, the Islanders out chance the opposition. The team does not finish well, so out chancing doesn't mean much, making Dobson look worse than he actually is. He is not Slavin defensively by any means. However, he is legitimately the Islanders best defenseman.

The Dobson hate is insane because the expectations are insane. Pelech and Romanov are fine second pair dmen on a team, but neither provides offense. The other guys on the team are very replaceable and don't move the needle.

People on here really don't understand how bad this D Corps is. Especially with Pulock's decline. They also give Romanov a pass for being average defensively at best because he is physical. At least in Roy's system, this particle D Corps does not work. Dobson is actually really good and is worth 8 mil a year.

He is not untouchable though, and if dealt, the return has to make sense. The idea that it would be Dobson+ for a top 5 pick is insane. If you want Hagens, and would like to acquire a top 3-4 pick, it would be that pick or that pick+ to get it done. Guys like Dobson don't grow on trees and some people here are severely underrating him.

 

[Chardo]

When Noah Dobson is on the ice, the Islanders out chance the opposition. The team does not finish well, so out chancing doesn't mean much, making Dobson look worse than he actually is. He is not Slavin defensively by any means. However, he is legitimately the Islanders best defenseman.

The Dobson hate is insane because the expectations are insane. Pelech and Romanov are fine second pair dmen on a team, but neither provides offense. The other guys on the team are very replaceable and don't move the needle.

People on here really don't understand how bad this D Corps is. Especially with Pulock's decline. They also give Romanov a pass for being average defensively at best because he is physical. At least in Roy's system, this particle D Corps does not work. Dobson is actually really good and is worth 8 mil a year.

He is not untouchable though, and if dealt, the return has to make sense. The idea that it would be Dobson+ for a top 5 pick is insane. If you want Hagens, and would like to acquire a top 3-4 pick, it would be that pick or that pick+ to get it done. Guys like Dobson don't grow on trees and some people here are severely underrating him.

Dobson was a plus defender before Roy came along. New coaching staff will have him back to that.

 

[YearlyLottery]

When Noah Dobson is on the ice, the Islanders out chance the opposition. The team does not finish well, so out chancing doesn't mean much, making Dobson look worse than he actually is. He is not Slavin defensively by any means. However, he is legitimately the Islanders best defenseman.

The Dobson hate is insane because the expectations are insane. Pelech and Romanov are fine second pair dmen on a team, but neither provides offense. The other guys on the team are very replaceable and don't move the needle.

People on here really don't understand how bad this D Corps is. Especially with Pulock's decline. They also give Romanov a pass for being average defensively at best because he is physical. At least in Roy's system, this particle D Corps does not work. Dobson is actually really good and is worth 8 mil a year.

He is not untouchable though, and if dealt, the return has to make sense. The idea that it would be Dobson+ for a top 5 pick is insane. If you want Hagens, and would like to acquire a top 3-4 pick, it would be that pick or that pick+ to get it done. Guys like Dobson don't grow on trees and some people here are severely underrating him.

Let's assume the rumors are true and Dobson wants 8 years and $8 million per year. That is what I expect a top pairing defenseman to get. Should we not expect top pairing play out of him?

Also, your last paragraph you may be mixing me up with someone else. I would only trade Dobson for the third pick if there was a fairly big plus coming back the other way.

Dobson is a good NHL player, but in the cap era we have to make a decision if he is worth a massive contract of elite money with one elite season of play.

 

[mm11]

Dobson is a big softie Unfortunately. My two cents. Lgi.