New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson joined rare company on Tuesday night after a two-assist performance against the New York Rangers.
New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson joined rare company on Tuesday night after a two-assist performance against the New York Rangers.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Potvin is by far the best defenseman to have worn the Blue and Orange sweater.
A career that spanned 15 years, all with the Islanders, he played in 1,060 regular season games, with 310 goals and 742 assists for 1,356 points.
He was a nine-time All-Star, a three-time Norris Trophy winner, and a four-time Stanley Cup Champion.
The Islanders have never seen a defenseman quite like Potvin since he retired following the 1987-88 season.
While the organization may never see a Potvin-like player walk through their doors, 24-year-old Noah Dobson is the best offensive defenseman the Islanders have had since Potvin.
Offensively, Dobson burst onto the scene last season with 13 goals and 36 assists in 78 games, but this season, he's taken a dramatic jump on both sides of the puck, making him a more trustworthy player.
After slumping for a few weeks offensively, Dobson has turned it up a few notches with the Islanders season on the line.
With two assists against the cross-town rival New York Rangers on Tuesday night, not only did Dobson play a vital role in their 4-2 win, their fifth straight, but he also reached the 60-assist mark and the 70-point mark.
The last Islanders defenseman to record 60 assists in a season was...you guessed it...Potvin, who accomplished that feat four times in his illustrious career.
Dobson, with 70 points, joins Denis Potvin and his brother, the late Jean Potvin, as the only defensemen in franchise history to reach those marks.
With 8:13 to play in the first, Dobson sent a point shot to the front of the net, where he saw forwards Bo Horvat and Casey Cizikas in prime positions to get a stick on it.
Neither forward knew which one actually touched it, but regardless, the puck trickled into the back of the net to double the Islanders' lead to 2-0:
Then, with 6:22 to play in the first, Dobson walked down the right half-wall before feeding Brock Nelson at the blocker-side post. Despite Nelson failing to score, the puck was thrown back to the crease, and Kyle Palmieri tapped home the goal to give New York a 3-0 lead:
Dobson has had a phenomenal season, but he and the team aren't focused on personal milestones.
It's about winning hockey games.
However, when the season does wrap up, Dobson will be able to look back and see that his play and point production played a vital role in what the team hopes to be a second consecutive playoff berth.
Through 78 games, Dobson's 60 assists rank fifth in the NHL amongst defensemen, while his 70 points rank sixth.
"I saw him play junior. He's been a winner in junior, won the Memorial Cup in Bathers, and played big roles. I already knew how good he was," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "And since I've been here, I am impressed with the person and also the player. There's a part of the game that we like to have a little bit better defensively and stuff like this, but he knows, and he's willing to work hard at it, be a puck mover, and he's been doing a really nice job.
"I think he hasn't reached his full potential yet. I see him as a dominant player and guy that will be very, very dangerous offensively, but also very reliable defensively. I was fortunate enough to have Chelios, Robinson, Bourque, and Foote, so I understand how important it is to be able to play on both ends, and that's what I'm looking for. The footsteps of these guys are huge, but I know what he's capable of."