Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson is worthy of being an All-Star
Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson plays against Maple Leafs center Max Domi in the first period of an NHL game at UBS Arena on Thursday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bo Horvat is right. Noah Dobson deserves to be an All-Star.
“He’s been awesome,” Horvat said, stumping for Dobson after the defenseman set a career high with four assists in Thursday night’s 4-3 overtime win over the Maple Leafs at UBS Arena. “He’s making plays out there. Not only offensively but he’s really solid defensively this year. That’s one of the big reasons he should be at the All-Star Game, in my opinion. Hopefully everybody goes out there and votes for him to get there.”
But Dobson is not likely to be among the top vote-getters for the final 12 spots — eight skaters and four goalies — when they are announced Saturday, concurrent with the Islanders opening a four-game road trip against the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Preliminary voting results released Tuesday in advance of Thursday’s close of polls did not have Dobson among the leaders.
Forward Mathew Barzal (12 goals, 33 assists) was selected by the NHL on Jan. 4 to be the Islanders’ representative to the All-Star Weekend in Toronto on Feb. 1-3.
Dobson’s career night against the Maple Leafs gave him six goals and 36 assists for 42 points in 41 games. He’s only two assists and nine points shy of matching his career highs. He scored 13 goals in each of the previous two seasons.
Dobson sits third in the NHL in points for defensemen behind the Canucks’ Quinn Hughes (51) and the Avalanche’s Cale Makar (48). Hughes already has been selected as an All-Star and Makar was the second-leading vote-getter among skaters in the preliminary results released Tuesday, the only defenseman among the top eight skaters.
Honestly, the whole selection process has been skewed toward forwards. The Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin (12 goals, 22 assists) was the only other defenseman besides Hughes picked by the NHL on Jan. 4 to represent his team.
Dobson has more points than 13 of the 25 forwards selected.
And on the power play, he is second in the NHL among defensemen with 16 assists, tied with Hughes and two behind Makar. His 10 primary power-play assists are tied with Makar for the NHL lead and two ahead of Hughes.
“Just trying to, on the power play, get some pucks to the net,” Dobson said after recording two primary power-play assists against the Maple Leafs. “Guys did a good job capitalizing.”
Per NaturalStatTrick.com, Dobson is seventh in the NHL among defensemen with an expected goals for of 38.01, three spots behind Dahlin (38.56), nine spots ahead of Hughes (35.31) and 71 spots ahead of Makar (27.20).
“Certainly, why not?” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said when asked if Dobson should be in the All-Star conversation. “He’s played well all year long and he’s put up numbers. That’s not up to anybody else to decide.”
Actually, first it was up to the NHL, which did not pick Dobson (though Barzal also is very worthy of a selection). The voters likely will pass on Dobson as well.
Too bad. He is deserving.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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