It has been fun watching Noah Dobson play his first seven games with the Canadiens.
For a big defenceman — 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds — Dobson makes everything he does look so calm, smooth and effortless. Canadiens fans are seeing why general manager Kent Hughes was willing to give the New York Islanders 23-year-old forward Emil Heineman and two first-round picks — 16th and 17th overall at this year’s NHL Draft — in exchange for the 25-year-old Dobson, who should be entering the prime of his career.
Hughes also has Dobson locked up with an eight-year, US$76-million contract with an annual salary-cap hit of US$9.5 million that makes the Summerside, P.E.I., native the highest-paid player on the Canadiens.
Dobson is as calm and smooth off the ice as he is on it. While most Canadiens players stand at their locker-room stalls while being interviewed, Dobson prefers to sit while speaking with a soft, calm voice and giving enlightening answers.
I asked Dobson after Monday night’s 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre if smooth is the best word to describe his game.
“I want to be under control,” he said after logging 20:46 of ice time with one assist and a plus-1 rating. “Sometimes less is more. You kind of learn that as a D-man coming in the league. Sometimes you try and do too much. But I’ve kind of learned sometimes the easy play is the right play and the simple play. I think it just comes with that experience and games under your belt and getting a feel for what gives you success at this level.”
The Islanders selected Dobson in the first round (12th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft and he has played 395 games in the league, posting 51-183-234 totals. His best season was in 2023-24 when he had 10-60-70 totals and was plus-12. He was one of 13 defenceman invited by Hockey Canada to this summer’s Olympic orientation camp.
In his first seven games with the Canadiens Dobson has 1-3-4 totals and is plus-3 while averaging 22:05 of ice time and forming a very effective top defence pairing with Mike Matheson. Dobson is also on the second power-play unit and the first penalty-killing unit.
One of the knocks on Dobson in the past is that he isn’t a very physical defenceman for his size. He has only one hit this season, but uses his size in different ways. Dobson said his long reach, having a good stick and being a strong skater all help him, as well as using his big frame for body positioning.
“I think he’s very efficient,” head coach Martin St. Louis said. “And it’s not necessarily using his feet or moving the puck, it’s whatever the game needs at the time. He can do both. He can let the puck do the work, he can move his feet, he’s got great touches offensively and I’m not just talking in the O zone. He can transition and breakouts. And he seems to be doing it almost effortless. It’s been nice.”
Defenceman Lane Hutson, who won the Calder Trophy last season as the NHL’s top rookie after posting 6-60-66 totals, said he is learning a lot by watching Dobson.
“I think there’s a lot that in the last couple of weeks I’ve tried to pick up on,” Hutson said. “The way he is positionally, the timing. He’s got a really good stick, knocks a lot of pucks down. So that’s stuff that I definitely want to add to my game. We’re just lucky we have him.”
Dobson is still adjusting to his new teammates, but has been very effective playing beside Matheson. St. Louis wants his defencemen to be aggressive in the neutral zone to make it tough for the opposition to even get into the offensive zone. With their size — Matheson is 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds — reach and skating ability, the top defence pairing is very good at doing that. They both also have offensive abilities.
“It’s an adjustment,” Dobson said quietly while sitting in his locker stall. “You come to a new team, new guys, you kind of get used to guys’ tendencies and stuff. But I knew that coming in. I just tried to be patient with it. I feel like each game I’m starting to get more and more good looks and just finding the right time to come in and get open for guys. I feel like me and Matty have done a good job of using each other to find an open shot. Definitely more and more comfortable each game.”
Hutson really likes what he sees from Dobson. I asked Hutson if smooth is the best word to describe Dobson’s game.
“I think smooth is a good word,” Hutson said. “Poise. He’s so strong on his feet. He’s such a good skater, great stick and positionally he’s always in the right spot. We’re really lucky that we have him and watching him, it’s pretty fun to watch.”
Agreed.
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