Florida Panthers Should Target Islanders’ Noah Dobson – The Hockey Writers – Florida Panthers

It’s mostly speculative, but there’s been some trade chatter around star defenseman Noah Dobson of the New York Islanders. Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman dispelled some of those rumors, suggesting nothing is on the table at the moment, but let’s have some fun with it anyway. The Florida Panthers would be the perfect destination for him if his future isn’t in Long Island.

Dobson Mock Trade

The Panthers could use a player like Dobson, a 25-year-old who shoots right, on their somewhat thin defense. In this hypothetical, the Islanders make that happen. But what do they get for their troubles?

Panthers receive: Noah Dobson

Islanders receive: Sam Bennett, 2026 first-round pick (top-12 protected)

Dobson is a restricted free agent in the offseason and holds a $4.0 million cap hit, while Bennett is an unrestricted free agent and makes $4.425 million against the cap. So, how does this deal work for both teams?

Why It Makes Sense for the Panthers

Why Trade for Dobson?

There are two sides to the coin here for the Panthers. Let’s start with Dobson and what he brings to the table.

Following the losses of both Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the defense, it’s clear that the Panthers lack puck-moving ability. It hasn’t prevented them from winning games, but it may become an issue in the playoffs. In order for this team to go far, they need someone who can maintain the flow of a game and, just as importantly, get the puck on the sticks of their superstars.

Not only does Dobson accomplish this, but he is very talented in his own right. Over the past three seasons, he ranks 10^th among defensemen in points scored. He’s not afraid to shoot the puck, as he’s sixth in shots on goal in that span, but he’s arguably an even better playmaker inside the offensive zone. His breakout passing, as well, is a key weapon in his arsenal.

Dobson’s 24 points in 46 games this season are a step down from his triumphant 70-point showing in 2023-24, no doubt. But he’s still playing well relative to his teammates. Expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 stand out the most, where he’s 1.61 standard deviations above the average of his fellow defensemen who meet the ice-time minimum. Take a look:

Even with a poor on-ice shooting percentage, suggesting below-average puck luck, Dobson is scoring at a high level for a…