Noah Dobson, Welcome to Montreal! Why it's a Risk Worth Taking for the Habs

After days of speculation and rumors swirling, it’s finally official: The Montreal Canadiens have traded for defenseman Noah Dobson.

In exchange for Dobson, the Canadiens are sending the 16th and 17th overall picks in tonight’s draft, along with forward Emil Heineman, to the New York Islanders. And truth be told, I am a fan of the deal for both sides, but we will look at this from a Habs perspective.

Yes, parting with back-to-back first-round picks is tough in the moment. But this year’s draft class has been widely considered a weaker one. While I am not too familiar, most podcasts I've listened to from hockey people I trust say that most prospects who will be taken in the first round (including the top 10) are expected to take 3–5 years before making any real NHL impact. That’s a long wait for a team looking to take the next step now.

Another huge win for the Habs is that they are not sending out any of their 2026 picks. That’s huge, especially with the Gavin McKenna draft coming next year. The fact that Kent Hughes pulled off this deal without mortgaging any future picks or high-end prospects makes it even better.

As for Emil Heineman, I actually like him. He showed flashes this past season, and I think he’ll be a solid middle-six NHL player. But at the end of the day, he’s a piece you move to land a 25-year-old, top-pairing, right-shot defenseman who is just one year removed from a 70-point season.

That’s right—Dobson put up 70 points in 2023–24, proving he can be a dynamic offensive force from the back end. He had a bit of a dip this past season, but with a better supporting cast in Montreal and with a coaching staff that wants their team to show off their skill, I expect him to land somewhere around 60 points a year going forward.

Shortly after the trade, the Canadiens locked Dobson up with a long-term deal—8 years at $9.5 million per season. It’s not cheap, but when you look at what top-end defensemen are going for now and what the cap is projected to do, I don't think it's an awful deal, especially since it was reported that Dobson wanted up to $11 million per season from the Islanders.

Now let’s talk about what this means for the Habs’ future blue line.

This is how Montreal’s D-core is shaping up:

• Noah Dobson

• Lane Hutson

• Kaiden Guhle

• David Reinbacher

• Logan Mailloux

That’s five legitimate pieces under 25, and all of them project to be NHL regulars—some stars. Dobson brings even more high-end puck movement from the blue line to a group that’s loaded with upside.

This is the kind of move that signals a shift. The rebuild is over, and the front office is now focused on building a winner.

With this young core in place, I genuinely believe the Canadiens are building something special, and this could be the group of players that helps bring the 25th Stanley Cup to Montreal in the next 5-7 years.