Did Lou Lamoriello offer Brock Nelson a three-year deal?

The New York Islanders have a decision to make this summer regarding pending restricted free agent Noah Dobson. 

The 24-year-old has struggled to take the necessary defensive steps to become a true No. 1 defenseman, and this season's offense hasn't come close to the 70-point output we saw last year.

The question is, do the Islanders sign Dobson to a bridge deal, lock him up to a long-term deal or do they look to move him in a package for an elite offensive player?

According to RG, the Islanders are shopping Dobson:

Dobson is currently on long-term injured reserve after sustaining a lower-body injury on Jan. 4. Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said he could return to the ice during the latter part of the upcoming two-week break, but there is no timetable for when he will be game-ready. 

There's no point in shopping Dobson just to stop him because he's still an incredibly valuable defenseman, at just 24. However, as we've speculated numerous times here, if Dobson can be the key piece in a trade for a talented forward, that makes more sense on the Islanders' front.

And most teams around the NHL would be in the market for a top-end offensive defenseman who still has a ton of potential.  

While Tony DeAngelo, Scott Perunovich, and Adam Boqvist are not considered more talented than Dobson, their cost and effectiveness in Patrick Roy's system cannot be overlooked, especially in this salary-cap world. 

Per our reports regarding Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson, we were told that just because they traded J.T. Miller, that did not mean that Pettersson was staying put.

And, per industry sources, the Islanders remain interested in Vancouver's No. 40, and the Canucks certainly have interest in Dobson: 

Our belief is that if a Pettersson trade is going to happen, it will come at the 2025 NHL Draft, not at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. 

While not sourced, we also wrote a story about the potential availability of St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyou. He is likely the best fit to replace the injured Mathew Barzal on the Islanders' top line and a strong fit in the Islanders' long-term future. 

The Blues need a young defenseman, making Dobson another strong option for them:

RG also reports that the Islanders have offered pending unrestricted free agent Brock Nelson a three-year extension.

Speaking with Nelson following Thursday's skate, with more from that conversation coming Monday, Nelson does value finishing his career with one franchise and laughed at the notion he was Minnesota Wild bound this summer:

While the Islanders' decision to bring Nelson back on a team-friendly three-year deal makes sense, No. 29's next contract is likely his last, and he deserves to test free agency. 

The Islanders have two games left, back-to-back with the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night before a nightcap with the Wild on Saturday, to conclude their schedule before the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off break.

They are currently four points back of a wild-card spot with a game in hand, and it's becoming increasingly likely that Nelson will remain with the team through the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. 

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