
After struggling with the New York Islanders last season, Noah Dobson has been a fantastic addition to the Montreal Canadiens. The veteran right-shot defenseman has put up 15 points in 21 games so far, and on Saturday night, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he recorded the first two-goal game of his career. After finishing last season with a minus-16 rating, the blueliner is currently plus-2 on a Habs team that has a negative goal differential (minus-4).
The rearguard has done so well that he has even caught the eye of Sportsnet’s panel. On Hockey Night in Canada Saturday, they suggested that he may very well be in consideration for Team Canada’s roster at the Milano Cortina Olympics.
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It wouldn’t be Dobson’s first foray in International hockey; he played for the national team at the World Junior Championships in 2019, picking up one point in five games as Canada bowed out of the tournament in the semi-final after a 2-1 overtime loss to Finland.
Last spring, he also represented the country at the 2025 World Championship (alongside Mike Matheson), in yet another losing cause, when Canada lost in the quarterfinal, 2-1 to Denmark in regulation—a tremendous accomplishment for the Danes, but a bitter disappointment for the Canadians. Still, Dobson picked up a goal and three assists in eight games.
While his performance this season has been noteworthy, so has Mike Matheson’s. Dobson’s arrival has been a game-changer for Matheson, who has 14 points in 21 games despite not playing on the power play, and he has a plus-12 differential. At the last World Championship, he picked up a pair of assists in eight games.
While Canada has a lot of options on the blueline, the Canadiens’ first pairing could be an option if some injuries occur.
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