The Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders could benefit from swapping uber-talented, yet underperforming young blue liners. Specifically, I’m referring to the Oilers' Evan Bouchard and the Islanders' Noah Dobson.
Now, let me be clear about something: There is no indication that this deal could be in the works. While the Islanders have been reportedly shopping Dobson, who’s currently hurt, and speculation has pointed to the Oilers trading Bouchard, there’s no reason to believe both teams are thinking about swapping defencemen. At least, not yet.
The reasoning here is simple. Both Bouchard and Dobson were expected to have monster seasons following seemingly breakout years in 2023-24. Yet, neither has catapulted himself into that elite echelon of top-pairing NHL defencemen.
Bouchard, while playing relatively well all season, has not taken that step toward becoming the next Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar. Similarly, Dobson was expected to take it up a notch after scoring 70 points last season.
Unfortunately, the regression for both players, particularly in contract years, has prompted plenty of speculation regarding their futures with their current clubs. With that in mind, why not consider a change of scenery for both players?
Often, a change of scenery provides a player with the chance to push the reset button. That reset button allows players to reach that next level. It’s worth pointing out that this trade would not signal either club giving up on potential rising stars. It just means both clubs are looking to find the best landing spot for an otherwise underwhelming performer.
How Dobson fits into the Edmonton Oilers scheme
One of the biggest issues affecting Dobson in Long Island is coach Patrick Roy’s defence-first scheme. Roy is an old-school coach that preaches a playing style like Craig Berube in Toronto or Peter DeBoer in Dallas.
As such, Dobson’s free-wheeling, high-octane style doesn’t quite mesh with the overall philosophy the Islanders espouse. But with the Edmonton Oilers, Dobson could be unleashed, especially if he plays with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Such a combination would give the Oilers an opportunity to harness Dobson’s skills to their fullest extent.
By that logic, Bouchard would encounter a similar problem with the Islanders as Dobson. However, Roy’s structured system could allow Bouchard to be sheltered with veteran blue liners like Alexander Romanov. While Bouchard may have trouble adjusting to a more grinding style, the change of scenery could simply allow Bouchard to get a break from playing in one of the most demanding hockey markets.
Ultimately, the likeliest outcome is that the Oilers keep Bouchard and the Islanders stick with Dobson. But one can’t wonder if such a deal happened, just how much both players and organisations could benefit from pushing the reset button.
It’s an intriguing situation and one that merits its due diligence. I wouldn’t be surprised if both the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders have had this discussion behind closed doors already.
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