Elliotte Friedman and Pierre LeBrun Reveal Frontrunners for Noah Dobson Trade

NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Pierre LeBrun have revealed who the two frontrunners are for Islanders' Noah Dobson, and they both come from the East.

The New York Islanders get to pick first at the 2025 NHL Draft, but that may not be the most important decision they make this off-season.

According to several reports, the team is working to trade top defenseman Noah Dobson, who is in line for a massive contract extension as a restricted free agent.

Dobson is now one of the highest-scoring blue-liners in the NHL with 39 points (10G-29A) last year and a personal-best 70-point season the year before. The 25-year-old has 230 points (50G-180A) in 388 contests for the Islanders.

Dobson is looking for $11 million per year, significantly more than his previous $4 million

Having brought in $4 million annually on his previous deal, Dobson reportedly seeks a sizeable raise. Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli indicated his asking price began at a whopping $11 million annually.

That price, and the Islanders' salary cap reality, seems to have pushed GM Lou Lamoriello into the trade market.

Now, NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman, Pierre LeBrun, and Marco D'Amico have all cited the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets as front-runners in the trade race to land Dobson.