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Greg Wyshynski
The New York Islanders traded restricted free agent defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, a supply advised ESPN, in a transfer that might have a big impact on the NHL draft.
The Islanders acquired ahead Emil Heineman and the Nos. 16 and 17 picks within the first spherical of the draft (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), the supply stated. It was a sign-and-trade deal for Dobson, who agreed to an eight-year, $76 million deal earlier than the commerce, a supply stated.
New York owns the primary general decide, after successful April’s draft lottery, and is predicted to pick defenseman Matthew Schaefer of OHL Erie on Friday night time. ESPN reported Monday that the Islanders have been making an attempt so as to add one other excessive draft option to doubtlessly choose Lengthy Island native James Hagens, the 18-year-old Boston Faculty middle who grew up as an Islanders fan. Hagens was projected to go sixth general in ESPN’s latest mock draft.
Dobson, 25, had 39 factors in 71 video games final season for the Islanders, skating to a minus-16. It was a down 12 months after his breakout season of 70 factors in 79 video games in 2023-24, incomes him eighth place within the Norris Trophy voting for the NHL’s prime defenseman.
However he and the Islanders could not discover frequent floor on a contract. His new $9.5 million cap hit equals that of Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox for the fifth highest within the NHL amongst blueliners.
The addition of Dobson continues to sign the tip of an extended rebuild for the Canadiens, who returned to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the primary time in 4 seasons and have been eradicated by the Washington Capitals in 5 video games. He joins 21-year-old rookie of the 12 months Lane Hutson, who had 66 factors in 82 video games, within the Montreal protection corps.
That is the third time that Heineman, 23, has been moved in a high-profile NHL commerce. After choosing the Swedish winger forty third general within the 2020 draft, the Florida Panthers traded him to the Calgary Flames in 2021 in a package deal for Sam Bennett, who received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP earlier this month. Heineman was traded by Calgary to Montreal in 2022 for high-scoring winger Tyler Toffoli.
Heineman has performed 66 video games within the NHL, together with 62 video games final season for Montreal through which he had 10 objectives and eight assists whereas averaging 11:23 of ice time per recreation. He’s at the moment a restricted free agent.